Kristofferson, Kristoffer

Kris Kristofferson

(1936 – )

This well known entertainer of the latter half of the 20th century – country singer, songwriter, musician, and actor – spent a lot of time in Evergreen during the early 1980s and had a home in the Upper Bear Creek area at that time.

His long list of songs included “For the Good Times,” “Help Me Make it Through the Night” and “Me and Bobby McGee.”

Kristofferson was a scheduled performer at The Little Bear. He partnered with Willie Nelson, another country singer with a home in the Upper Bear Creek area of Evergreen; the two were known for "just showing up” at The Little Bear and performing with the scheduled band from time to time to the delight of local patrons.

During the 1980s the two became part of group The Highwaymen, including fellow greats Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash; the group recorded four albums.

Kristofferson appeared in more than 50 films.

He wrote songs for notables such as Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, Ray Stevens, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roger Miller.

Some of the highlights of the awards received included:

• Golden Gloves boxer
• Golden Globe Award in 1976 for Best Actor for his role in A Star is Born, an experience he described as being "worse than boot camp." On another occasion he compared it to Ranger School.  He also was quoted as saying, "Filming with Streisand is an experience which may have cured me of movies." In spite of that, he dated Streisand.
• Nashville Hall of Fame in 1977
• Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985
• Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004

Kristofferson was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University after graduating summa cum laude in Literature from Pomona College in California. He served in the US Army, went through Ranger School and worked as a commercial helicopter pilot. Shortly after being assigned to teach English Literature at West Point, he resigned his commission to sweep floors in Nashville studios.

He suffers memory loss (“Puglistica.”) from his years of boxing, rugby and football.

Sources: Wikipedia; Biography.com; Showbiz 411; Kitty Gallas