Kris Kristofferson
Musician · US · 1936–2024
He graduated summa cum laude from Pomona College, where he was also an accomplished athlete in rugby and football.
Some of Kristofferson's most famous songs include "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Help Me Make It Through the Night."
Kristofferson won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, showcasing his talent as a songwriter.
Biography
Early Life
Kristoffer Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, as the eldest of three children to Mary Ann and Henry Kristofferson, a U.S. Army Air Corps officer. His father's military career led the family to move frequently, eventually settling in San Mateo, California. Kristofferson graduated from San Mateo High School in 1954 and later attended Pomona College, where he majored in literature and graduated summa cum laude in 1958. During his college years, he was active in sports and even appeared in Sports Illustrated for his athletic achievements.
Career
Kristofferson emerged as a significant figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, known for his raw and introspective songwriting style. His notable songs include classics like "Me and Bobby McGee," "For the Good Times," and "Help Me Make It Through the Night." He released numerous albums throughout his career, including "Kristofferson," "The Silver Tongued Devil and I," and "Jesus Was a Capricorn." His contributions to music earned him several prestigious awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Johnny Mercer Award.
Personal Life
Kristofferson's personal life has been marked by three marriages and eight children. He first married Frances "Fran" Mavia Beer in 1961, but they divorced in 1969. He had a brief relationship with Janis Joplin before her untimely death and later married singer Rita Coolidge in 1973, which ended in divorce in 1980. In 1983, he married Lisa Meyers, with whom he shared a home in Malibu and a residence in Hawaii until his passing in 2024. Kristofferson was also known for his political activism, opposing various U.S. military interventions and supporting candidates like Jesse Jackson and Ross Perot.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
The Cedar Creek Sessions2016
- 1.Duvalier’s Dream2:48
- 2.The Loving Gift1:58
- 3.The Sabre and the Rose4:18
- 4.The Law Is for the Protection of the People2:28
- 5.It No Longer Matters What I Do2:31
- 6.Stagger Mountain Tragedy2:52
- 7.The Wife You Save2:31
- 8.Lay Me Down and Love the World Away3:36
- 9.The Bigger the Fool (the Harder the Fall)3:08
- 10.Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down4:05
- 11.Spooky Lady’s Revenge3:36
- 12.Forever in Your Love2:42
- 13.Winter2:37
- 14.Darby’s Castle3:22
- 15.Me and Bobby McGee3:35
- 16.Broken Freedom Song4:33
- 17.Casey’s Last Ride3:27
- 18.Billy Dee2:46
- 19.Easter Island3:17
- 20.For the Good Times3:39
- 21.Help Me Make It Through the Night1:55
- 22.Jody and the Kid2:56
- 23.Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)3:03
- 24.Risky Business2:30
- 25.To Beat the Devil4:44
Feeling Mortal2013
- 1.Feeling Mortal3:16
- 2.Mama Stewart3:22
- 3.Bread for the Body2:58
- 4.You Don’t Tell Me What to Do3:35
- 5.Stairway to the Bottom3:36
- 6.Just Suppose3:24
- 7.Castaways2:23
- 8.My Heart Was the Last One to Know2:41
- 9.The One You Chose2:24
- 10.Ramblin’ Jack3:45
Closer to the Bone2009
- 1.Closer to the Bone2:33
- 2.From Here to Forever3:33
- 3.Holy Woman2:31
- 4.Starlight and Stone3:47
- 5.Sister Sinead2:22
- 6.Hall of Angels4:00
- 7.Love Don’t Live Here Anymore2:02
- 8.Good Morning John2:52
- 9.Tell Me One More Time2:40
- 10.Let the Walls Come Down2:42
- 11.The Wonder3:10
- 12.[untitled]1:26
- 13.This Old Road3:58
- 14.The Final Attraction2:09
- 15.Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down5:28
- 16.The Silver Tongued Devil and I2:26
- 17.For the Good Times4:41
- 18.A Moment of Forever2:37
- 19.Don’t Let the Bastards (Get You Down)2:49
- 20.Why Me?3:30
Collections2006
- 1.Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do)3:47
- 2.Me and Bobby McGee4:21
- 3.The Pilgrim: Chapter 333:16
- 4.For the Good Times3:25
- 5.Help Me Make It Through the Night2:17
- 6.Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down4:31
- 7.Just the Other Side of Nowhere3:37
- 8.To Beat the Devil4:41
- 9.Casey's Last Ride3:42
- 10.Why Me?3:27
This Old Road2006
- 1.This Old Road3:59
- 2.Pilgrim’s Progress2:14
- 3.Love Is the Last Thing to Go3:00
- 4.Wild American2:27
- 5.In the News3:31
- 6.The Burden of Freedom3:26
- 7.Chase the Feeling4:06
- 8.Holy Creation4:38
- 9.The Show Goes On3:20
- 10.Thank You for a Life3:44
- 11.Final Attraction2:57
Honky Tonk Heroes2000
- 1.Honky Tonk Heroes (Like Me)2:59
- 2.Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me3:54
- 3.I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal2:12
- 4.Ain’t No God in Mexico2:22
- 5.You Asked Me To2:40
- 6.Oklahoma Wind3:42
- 7.I Couldn’t Be Me Without You2:02
- 8.Tramp on Your Street4:32
- 9.Easy Come Easy Go (aka: Ride Me Down Easy)3:56
- 10.We Are the Cowboys4:23
The Austin Sessions1999
- 1.Me and Bobby McGee4:31
- 2.Sunday Morning Coming Down5:20
- 3.For the Good Times3:59
- 4.The Silver Tongued Devil and I3:37
- 5.Help Me Make It Through the Night4:10
- 6.Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)5:18
- 7.To Beat the Devil4:32
- 8.Who’s to Bless and Who’s to Blame3:29
- 9.Why Me?2:58
- 10.Nobody Wins4:07
- 11.The Pilgrim: Chapter 332:42
- 12.Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends2:38
A Moment of Forever1995
- 1.A Moment of Forever4:08
- 2.Worth Fighting For5:28
- 3.Johnny Lobo5:08
- 4.The Promise4:43
- 5.Shipwrecked in the Eighties4:04
- 6.Slouching Toward the Millennium3:42
- 7.Between Heaven and Here3:46
- 8.Casey’s Last Ride4:09
- 9.Good Love (Shouldn’t Feel So Bad)3:37
- 10.New Game Now4:24
- 11.New Mister Me3:11
- 12.Under the Gun4:40
- 13.Road Warrior’s Lament5:47
- 14.Sam’s Song (Ask Any Working Girl)1:51
My Songs1989
- 1.Help Me Make It Through the Night2:22
- 2.Casey's Last Ride3:35
- 3.Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down4:33
- 4.If You Don't Like Hank Williams3:30
- 5.For the Good Times3:24
- 6.Rain3:41
- 7.The Golden Idol3:08
- 8.Stranger3:10
- 9.I've Got a Life of My Own3:38
- 10.Nobody Wins3:07
- 11.Why Me3:29
- 12.Magdalene3:42
- 13.Darby's Castle3:18
- 14.Lover Please3:06
- 15.Billy Dee2:58
- 16.Me and Bobby McGee4:18
Four Star Country: The Very Best of Four of Today’s Biggest Stars1984
- 1.Always on My Mind
- 2.Bridge Over Troubled Water
- 3.Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
- 4.Stardust
- 5.Take It to the Limit
- 6.Once in a While
- 7.Good Hearted Woman
- 8.Help Me Make It Through the Night
- 9.Me and Bobby McGee
- 10.For the Good Times
- 11.Casey’s Last Ride
- 12.Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do)
- 13.Why Me Lord?
- 14.Sunday Morning Coming Down
- 15.To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before
- 16.It’s All in the Game
- 17.Poncho and Lefty
- 18.Let’s Chase Each Other Around the Room
- 19.That’s the Way Love Goes
- 20.Going Where the Lonely Go
- 21.I Always Get Lucky With You
- 22.The Chicken in Black
- 23.I’m Ragged but I’m Right
- 24.I’ve Been to Georgia on a Fast Train
- 25.A Thing Called Love
- 26.Who’s Gene Autry?
- 27.A Boy Named Sue
- 28.One Piece at a Time
The Winning Hand1982
- 1.You’re Gonna Love Yourself in the Morning2:54
- 2.Ping Pong2:18
- 3.You’ll Always Have Someone2:56
- 4.Here Comes That Rainbow Again2:51
- 5.The Bigger the Fool, the Harder the Fall3:40
- 6.Help Me Make It Through the Night3:46
- 7.Happy Birthday Baby2:28
- 8.You Left Me a Long, Long Time Ago2:46
- 9.To Make a Long Story Short, She’s Gone3:04
- 10.Someone Loves You Honey2:54
- 11.Everything’s Beautiful (In It’s Own Way)3:13
- 12.Bring on the Sunshine2:58
- 13.Put It Off Until Tomorrow2:24
- 14.I Never Cared for You2:21
- 15.Casey’s Last Ride4:06
- 16.King of a Lonely Castle3:17
- 17.The Little Things2:32
- 18.The Bandits of Beverly Hills2:33
- 19.What Do You Think About Lovin’2:38
- 20.Born to Love Me4:19
To the Bone1981
- 1.Magdalene3:42
- 2.Star-Crossed3:29
- 3.Blessing in Disguise3:26
- 4.Devil to Pay3:23
- 5.Daddy's Song5:03
- 6.Snakebite3:32
- 7.Nobody Loves Anybody Anymore3:08
- 8.Maybe You Heard2:59
- 9.Last Time4:13
- 10.I'll Take Any Chance I Can With You3:29
Shake Hands With the Devil1979
Tracklist not collected yet.
Easter Island1978
Tracklist not collected yet.
Natural Act1978
Tracklist not collected yet.
Songs of Kristofferson1977
Tracklist not collected yet.
Surreal Thing1976
Tracklist not collected yet.
Who’s to Bless and Who’s to Blame1975
Tracklist not collected yet.
Spooky Lady’s Sideshow1974
Tracklist not collected yet.
Breakaway1974
Tracklist not collected yet.
Full Moon1973
Tracklist not collected yet.
Jesus Was a Capricorn1972
Tracklist not collected yet.
Border Lord1972
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Silver Tongued Devil and I1971
Tracklist not collected yet.
Kristofferson1970
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Monument Records
- Record label
- Mercury Records
- Record label
- Warner Music Group
- Record label
- Warner Records Inc.
- Record label
- Columbia Records
Achievements
- Award
- National Defense Service Medal
- Award
- Johnny Mercer Award
- Award
- Rhodes Scholarship
- Award
- Texas Country Music Hall of Fame
- Award
- Grammy Award for Best Country Song
- Award
- "Spirit of Americana" Free Speech Award
- Award
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
Groups
- Kris Kristofferson and the Borderlordseponymouscurrent
- The Highwaymencurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: K.Kristofferson, Kris Kristoferson, Kristoffer Kristofferson
Kristoffer Kristofferson was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a more raw, introspective style. Some of his most famous songs include "Me and Bobby McGee" (1970), "For the Good Times" (1968), "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" (1969), and "Help Me Make It Through the Night" (1970), which were also recorded by and became hits for other artists.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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