Kris Kristofferson
sound and toward a more raw, introspective style. Some of his most famous songs include "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin'
.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}This article or section is in a state of significant expansion or restructuring. You are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well. If this article or section has not been edited in several days, please remove this template.
If you are the editor who added this template and you are actively editing, please be sure to replace this template with {{in use}} during the active editing session. Click on the link for template parameters to use. This article was last edited by Sjones23 (talk | contribs) 7 seconds ago. (Updatetimer) American singer and actor (1936–2024) .mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}"Kristofferson" redirects here. For other uses, see Kristofferson (disambiguation).
.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}Kris KristoffersonKristofferson in 1978BornKristoffer Kristofferson
(1936-06-22)June 22, 1936
Brownsville, Texas, U.S.DiedSeptember 28, 2024(2024-09-28) (aged88)
Hana, Hawaii, U.S.Education.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}
- Pomona College (BA)
- Merton College, Oxford (BPhil)
Occupations.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"a0 "}
- Singer
- musician
- songwriter
- actor
Yearsactive1959–2021Works
- Discography
- filmography
Spouses
- .mw-parser-output .marriage-line-margin2px{line-height:0;margin-bottom:-2px}.mw-parser-output .marriage-line-margin3px{line-height:0;margin-bottom:-3px}.mw-parser-output .marriage-display-ws{display:inline;white-space:nowrap} Frances Beer (m.1961; div.1969)
- Rita Coolidge (m.1973; div.1980)
- Lisa Meyers (m.1983)
Children8Musical careerGenres
- Country
- folk
Instruments
- Vocals
- guitar
Labels
- Monument
- Mercury
- Warner Bros.
- New West
- Columbia
Formerly ofThe Highwaymen Musical artistWebsitekriskristofferson.com
Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, 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", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night", all of which became hits for other artists.
Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas; the family relocated to San Mateo, California during his childhood and he was briefly drafted into military service in the early 1960s. After one single for Epic Records, Kristofferson was signed by Monument Records in 1969. Throughout his career, he recorded a total of 10 albums for Monument, two albums for Mercury Records, one album each for Justice Records and Atlantic Records, and two albums each for New West Records and KK Records. In September 1971, Kristofferson made his film debut in The Last Movie and devoted much of the later decade to making Hollywood films. Some of his most famous films include Cisco Pike (1972), A Star Is Born (1976), Heaven's Gate (1980), and the Blade film trilogy (1998–2004).
Kristofferson was also a member of the country music supergroup the Highwaymen between 1985 and 1995. He has charted 12 times on the American Billboard Hot Country Songs charts; his highest peaking singles there are "Why Me" and "Highwayman", which reached number one in 1973 and 1985, respectively. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. He was a three-time Grammy Award winner, out of 13 total nominations.[1]
Life and career 1936–1965: early years and military service
Kristoffer Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, the oldest of three children born to Mary Ann (née Ashbrook) and Henry Kristofferson, a United States Army Air Corps officer (later a major general in the United States Air Force).[2][3] Henry later worked as a manager for Saudi Aramco after retiring from the service.[4] During Kristofferson's childhood, his father encouraged him to pursue a military career.[5]
Kristofferson moved around frequently as a youth because of his father's military service, and the family settled in San Mateo, California.[6] He attended San Mateo High School, where he graduated in 1954. At age 17, Kristofferson took a summer job with a dredging contractor on Wake Island in the western Pacific Ocean. He called it "the hardest job I ever had".[7]
Kristofferson went to Pomona College in Pomona, California, as a literature major. He studied under Frederick Sontag, whom he considers an important influence in his life.[3] His early writing included prize-winning essays: "The Rock" and "Gone Are the Days" were published in The Atlantic Monthly. These stories touch on the roots of Kristofferson's passions and concerns. "The Rock" is about a geographical feature resembling the form of a woman, while the latter was about a racial incident.[8] During this time, Kristofferson worked in various construction jobs and as a firefighter.[3] He appeared in the March 31, 1958, issue of Sports Illustrated for his achievements in collegiate rugby union, American football, and track and field.[9] He and his classmates also revived the Claremont Colleges Rugby Club, and it remains a Southern California rugby institution. Kristofferson graduated in 1958, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in literature. He was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa society his junior year.[3]
Also in 1958, Kristofferson was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford in Oxford, England,[10] studying at Merton College.[11] While performing his own songs there, Kristofferson signed with Larry Parnes, best known for his work with Tommy Steele. Parnes was working to sell Kristofferson as "a Yank at Oxford" to the British public; Kristofferson was willing to accept that promotional approach if it helped his singing career, which he hoped would enable him to progress toward his goal of becoming a novelist.[12] He recorded for The Rank Organisation's Top Rank Records label as Kris Carson, but this early phase was unsuccessful.[13][4] In 1960, Kristofferson graduated with a B.Phil. in English literature.[11][14][15]
In 1961, he married his longtime girlfriend, Frances "Fran" Mavia Beer.[11] Also in 1961, Kristofferson joined the United States Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was eventually promoted to the rank of captain.[16] He relocated Beer and their newborn daughter to West Germany, where he served as a member of the 8th Infantry Division.[17][4] During this period, Kristofferson resumed his music career and formed a band to play at service clubs. It was at this point that he met Marijohn Wilkin, the aunt of his platoon commander.[4] In 1965, after his tour in West Germany ended, Kristofferson briefly taught English literature at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.[18]
1965–1972: early music and film career
In June 1965, while on a two-week leave from West Point, he contacted Wilkin in Nashville, Tennessee, and decided to become a country music songwriter. After resigning from the Army and relocating his family to Nashville that year, Wilkin signed Kristofferson to her publishing house Buckhorn Music. Wilkin pitched his song "Talkin' Vietnam Blues" to singer Dave Dudley.[19] Concurrently, Kristofferson held various jobs including as a bartender, a construction worker, and a railroad worker.[19] He later worked as a janitor for Columbia Records, which afforded him the possibility of talking directly with the artists and a presence during recording sessions.[20] He released his debut single containing his songs "Golden Idol" and "Killing Time" in 1967 on Epic Records.[4]
After his second child was born with esophagus issues in 1968, Kristofferson worked at Petroleum Helicopters International (PHI) in Lafayette, Louisiana. While flying workers to and from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, he would often write new songs. At weekends, he returned to Nashville, and for the following week he would pitch the songs around town before returning to Louisiana.[21] The trips exhausted Kristofferson; his children were living with Fran in California and he felt his career as a songwriter was failing. PHI also admonished him for his increased alcohol consumption. Upon returning to Nashville the same week,[20] Kristofferson learned three of his songs had been recorded: "Jody and the Kid" by Roy Drusky, "Help Me Make It Through the Night" by Jerry Lee Lewis and "Me and Bobby McGee" by Roger Miller.[22]
Through June Carter, Kristofferson first attempted to pitch material to her husband Johnny Cash. Carter took the demos, which were eventually lost in a pile of other material Cash had received.[23] At the time, Kristofferson worked on the weekends for the Tennessee National Guard. To attract Cash's attention, Kristofferson landed a helicopter in Cash's property.[24] Cash eventually invited Kristofferson to a "guitar pull" party in his house. Cash was impressed and invited Kristofferson to perform with him at the 1969 Newport Folk Festival.[25] Unsatisfied by Buckhorn Music, Kristofferson decided to change labels. Monument Records director Bob Beckham invited Kristofferson to play songs for him and label owner Fred Foster.[25] Kristofferson performed "To Beat the Devil", "Jody and the Kid", "The Best of All Possible Worlds" and "Duvalier's Dream"; Foster was impressed and signed Kristofferson to Monument as a recording artist and Combine Music as a songwriter. The ten-year contract required Kristofferson to submit ten records containing songs he had written.[26] Kristofferson was surprised he had been signed as a singer; he told Foster at the time: "I can't sing, I sound like a frog!"[26] Kristofferson later said Buckhorn Music had not allowed him to record demos of his compositions.[27]
In 1969, Kristofferson divorced Beer and left Nashville to join the production of his first motion picture, Dennis Hopper's The Last Movie, in Peru. In his absence, Cash continued promoting Kristofferson's original songs with other singers. Upon returning to Nashville, Kristofferson learned of his new popularity and started to work on his debut album for Monument, Kristofferson.[28] As his manager and producer, Foster had decided to keep some of Kristofferson's original material from being passed to other artists. The new material, as well as his songs that had already been recorded by other artists, were included in the recording sessions, which were held at Monument Recording Studio.[29]
Monument released Kristofferson in June 1970. Kristofferson wrote or co-wrote every song on the album. He collaborated with Marijohn's son, John Buck Wilkin, on "Blame it on the Stones". Though Kristofferson was not a commercial success, it received positive reviews from critics. According to Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times, the album "is able to combine lyric sophistication with country music's traditional interest in everyday problems".[30] The commercial success of "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" led to the first of several industry awards nominations for the singer. Johnny Cash's rendition of the single earned Kristofferson his first Country Music Association award for Song of the Year that November.[31]
Also in 1970, he made his debut performance as a singer at the Los Angeles nightclub The Troubadour. Fred Roos, the casting director of Bob Rafelson's Five Easy Pieces, invited him to audition for his film debut for a leading role on Two-Lane Blacktop. Kristofferson, who was signed to Columbia Records, arrived to the appointment intoxicated and left. Kristofferson was next offered Bill L. Norton's script for Cisco Pike by Columbia. His peers encouraged him to reject the role and to take acting lessons instead, but he accepted the part, and later said; "I read the script and I could identify with this cat" and that acting is "understanding a character, and then being just as honest as you can possibly be".[32]
Kristofferson began an 18-month tour, during which he suffered a bout of walking pneumonia, which was worsened by his alcohol consumption. While performing, he would not face the audience and mumbled the words to his songs. Eventually, he was hospitalized.[33] During the tour, Kristofferson performed on The Johnny Cash Show. While in California, Kristofferson befriended singer Janis Joplin.[34] Upon returning to Nashville in early 1971, he received with his mail at Combine Music Joplin's posthumous album Pearl, which at the time was still unreleased. Joplin's album included a cover of his original composition "Me and Bobby McGee". The following morning, he returned to the studio and recorded his second Monument album, The Silver Tongued Devil and I, which was released that July.[35] He wrote nine of the album's 10 songs, including the single "Lovin' Her Was Easier (than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)". He collaborated with songwriter Shel Silverstein on "The Taker" and keyboardist Donnie Fritts on "Epitaph (Black and Blue)". Also included on the album was a cover of Bobby Bare's "Good Christian Soldier". "Lovin' Her Was Easier (than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" reached number 46 on Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on Adult Contemporary. These songs would later be used on the soundtrack for Cisco Pike, which was released on January 14, 1972.
Kristofferson with Rita Coolidge at the 1972 Dripping Springs Reunion
That February, Monument released his third album Border Lord. The album was all-new material and sales were sluggish. He also swept the Grammy Awards that year with numerous songs nominated, winning country song of the year for "Help Me Make It Through the Night". Kristofferson's fourth album, Jesus Was a Capricorn, initially had slow sales, but the third single, "Why Me", was a success and significantly increased album sales. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA on November 8, 1973.[36] Kristofferson appeared with Rita Coolidge on the BBC television series The Old Grey Whistle Test, performing "Help Me Make It Through the Night". Al Green later released his version of "For the Good Times" on the album I'm Still in Love with You.[37]
1973–1985: commercial peak
In April 1973, Kristofferson received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from Pomona College during Alumni Weekend, accompanied by Cash and Coolidge.[38] Four months later, Kristofferson married Coolidge. The duo released an album titled Full Moon, another success buoyed by numerous hit singles and Grammy nominations.
His fifth album, Spooky Lady's Sideshow, released in 1974, was a commercial failure, setting the trend for most of the rest of his musical career. Artists such as Ronnie Milsap and Johnny Duncan continued to record Kristofferson's material with success, but his distinctively rough voice and anti-pop sound kept his own audience to a minimum. Meanwhile, more artists took his songs to the top of the charts, including Willie Nelson, whose 1979 LP release of (Willie Nelson) Sings Kristofferson reached number five on the U.S. Country Music chart and certified Platinum in the U.S.[citation needed]
In 1979, Kristofferson traveled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival that took place on March 2–4, alongside Coolidge, Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, the Trio of Doom, Fania All-Stars, Billy Swan, Bonnie Bramlett, Mike Finnigan, Weather Report, and Billy Joel, plus an array of Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines, and Orquesta Aragón. His performance is captured on Ernesto Juan Castellanos's documentary Havana Jam '79.[citation needed]
On November 18, 1979, Kristofferson and Coolidge appeared on The Muppet Show, where Kristofferson sang "Help Me Make It Through the Night" with Miss Piggy, Coolidge sang "We're All Alone" with forest animals, and the pair sang "Song I'd Like to Sing" with the Muppet monsters. They divorced in 1980.[39]
In 1982, Kristofferson joined Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Brenda Lee on The Winning Hand, a double album consisting of remastered and updated performances of recordings the four artists had made for the Monument label during the mid-1960s; the album reached the top ten on the U.S. country album charts. He married again, to Lisa Meyers, and concentrated on films for a time, appearing in the 1984 releases The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck, Flashpoint, and Songwriter. Nelson and Kristofferson both appeared in Songwriter, and Kristofferson was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score. The album Music from Songwriter, featuring Nelson-Kristofferson duets, was a country success.[citation needed]
1985–2021: Highwaymen and later years
Nelson and Kristofferson continued their partnership, and by 1985, they added Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash to form the supergroup the Highwaymen. Their self-titled first album, released on May 6, was a success, and the supergroup continued working together for a time. The single from the album, a cover of Jimmy Webb's "Highwayman", was awarded the ACM's single of the year in 1985.[40] In 1985, Kristofferson starred in Trouble in Mind and released Repossessed, a politically aware album that was a country success, particularly "They Killed Him" (also performed by Bob Dylan), a tribute to his heroes, including Martin Luther King Jr., Jesus, and Mahatma Gandhi.[41] Kristofferson also appeared in Amerika at about the same time, a miniseries that attempted to depict life in America under Soviet control.[42]
Kristofferson at the 2006 South by Southwest Festival
In spite of the success of Highwayman 2 in 1990, Kristofferson's solo recording career slipped significantly in the early 1990s, though he continued to record successfully with the Highwaymen. Lone Star (1996 film by John Sayles) reinvigorated Kristofferson's acting career, and he soon appeared in Blade, Blade II, Blade: Trinity, A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, Fire Down Below, Tim Burton's remake of Planet of the Apes, Chelsea Walls, Payback, The Jacket, and Fast Food Nation.[citation needed]
The Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted Kristofferson in 1985, as had the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame earlier, in 1977. In 1999, The Austin Sessions was released, an album on which Kristofferson reworked some of his favorite songs with the help of artists such as Mark Knopfler, Steve Earle, and Jackson Browne. Shortly after the album's release, he underwent coronary artery bypass surgery.[43]
In 1997, Kristofferson co-starred in the film Fire Down Below with Steven Seagal.[44] Kristofferson appeared in the Stephen Norrington film Blade, alongside Wesley Snipes, as Blade's mentor Abraham Whistler. He reprised the role in Blade II (2002) and again in Blade: Trinity (2004). In 1998 he starred in Dance with Me along with Vanessa Williams and Chayanne.
In 2003, Broken Freedom Song was released, a live album recorded in San Francisco. That year, he received the "Spirit of Americana" free speech award from the Americana Music Association.[45] In 2004, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. On October 21, 2005, the movie Dreamer was released, in which Kristofferson played the role of "Pop", a retired thoroughbred horse trainer. The movie was inspired by the true story of the mare Mariah's Storm which won the Turfway Breeders Cup Classic. In 2006, he received the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and released his first album full of new material in 11 years; This Old Road. On April 21, 2007, Kristofferson won CMT's Johnny Cash Visionary Award. Rosanne Cash, Cash's daughter, presented the honor during the April 16 awards show in Nashville. Previous recipients include Cash, Hank Williams Jr., Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, and the Dixie Chicks. "John was my hero before he was my friend, and anything with his name on it is really an honor in my eyes," Kristofferson said during a phone interview. "I was thinking back to when I first met him, and if I ever thought that I'd be getting an award with his name on it, it would have carried me through a lot of hard times."[46] In 2006, Kristofferson starred with Geneviève Bujold in the film Disappearances about whiskey running from Quebec to the U.S. during the Great Depression.[47]
In July 2007, Kristofferson was featured on CMT's Studio 330 Sessions where he played many of his hits.[citation needed]
On June 13, 2008, Kristofferson performed an acoustic in-the-round set with Patty Griffin and Randy Owen (Alabama) for a special taping of a PBS songwriters series aired in December. Each performer played five songs. Kristofferson's set included "The Best of All Possible Worlds", "Darby's Castle", "Casey's Last Ride", "Me and Bobby McGee", and "Here Comes that Rainbow Again". Taping was done in Nashville.[citation needed]
Kristofferson released a new album of original songs titled Closer to the Bone on September 28, 2009. It is produced by Don Was on the New West Records label. Prior to the release, Kristofferson remarked: "I like the intimacy of the new album. It has a general mood of reflecting on where we all are at this time of life."[48]
On November 10, 2009, Kristofferson was honored as a BMI Icon at the 57th annual BMI Country Awards. Throughout his career, Kristofferson's songwriting garnered 48 BMI Country and Pop Awards.[49] He later remarked, "The great thing about being a songwriter is you can hear your baby interpreted by so many people that have creative talents vocally that I don't have."[50] Kristofferson had always denied having a good voice, and had said that as he had aged, any quality it once had was beginning to decay.[51]
Kristofferson speaking at the 2014 PEN New England Song Lyrics Award ceremony held in Boston's John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
In December 2009, it was announced that Kristofferson would be portraying Joe on the upcoming album Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, a collaboration between rock singer John Mellencamp and novelist Stephen King.[52]
On May 11, 2010, Light in the Attic Records released demos that were recorded during Kristofferson's janitorial stint at Columbia. Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends: The Publishing Demos was the first time these recordings were released and included material that would later be featured on other Kristofferson recordings and on the recordings of other prominent artists, such as the original recording of "Me and Bobby McGee".[citation needed]
On June 4, 2011, Kristofferson performed a solo acoustic show at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, showcasing both some of his original hits made famous by other artists, and newer songs.[citation needed]
In early 2013, Kristofferson released a new album of original songs called Feeling Mortal.[53] A live album titled An Evening With Kris Kristofferson was released in September 2014.[54]
Kristofferson voiced the character Chief Hanlon of the NCR Rangers in the hit 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas.[55]
In an interview for Las Vegas magazine Q&A by Matt Kelemen on October 23, 2015, Kristofferson revealed that a new album, The Cedar Creek Sessions, recorded in Austin, would include some old and some new songs.[56] Released on June 17, 2016, it would be his last studio album issued during his lifetime. That December, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album.[57]
Kristofferson in June 2018
Kristofferson covered Brandi Carlile's "Turpentine" on the 2017 album Cover Stories.[58]
In August 2018, Kristofferson's final film, Blaze, opened. Three months later, on November 7, Kristofferson performed, with assistance from Carlile, the Joni Mitchell composition "A Case of You", from the 1971 Mitchell album Blue, at the Both Sides Now – Joni 75 A Birthday Celebration to celebrate the 75th birthday of Mitchell.[59]
In June 2019, Kristofferson was announced as being one of the supporting artists for a Barbra Streisand "exclusive European concert" on July 7 in London's Hyde Park as part of the Barclay's Summertime Concert series.[60]
2021–2024: Retirement and death
By January 2021, Kristofferson announced his retirement from performing, citing age and concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. According to manager Tamara Saviano, "It was an evolution, and it just felt very organic."[61] Kristofferson's final performance was held in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29, 2023, where he sang a cover of "Lovin' You Was Easier" with Rosanne Cash in honor of Willie Nelson's 90th birthday;[62] the concert was later released as Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 that December.
On September 28, 2024, Kristofferson died at his home in Hana, Hawaii, at the age of 88.[63][64] He previously requested for the first three lines of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" on his tombstone:[65][66]
Like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Personal life
In 1961, Kristofferson married his longtime girlfriend Frances "Fran" Mavia Beer, but they divorced in 1969.[11][67][68] Kristofferson briefly dated Janis Joplin before her death in October 1970.[67] His second marriage was to singer Rita Coolidge in 1973, ending in divorce in 1980.[6][67] Kristofferson married Lisa Meyers in 1983.[67]
Kristofferson and Meyers owned a home in Las Flores Canyon in Malibu, California,[43] and they also resided in Hana, Hawaii from 1990 until his death.[67] Kristofferson had eight children from his three marriages: two from his first marriage, one from his second marriage, and five from his marriage to his third wife.[69]
Political views and advocacy
Kristofferson was a vocal opponent of the Gulf War and Iraq War and a critic of a number of United States military interventions and foreign policy positions, including the United States invasion of Panama and U.S. support of the Contras during the Nicaraguan Revolution and of the Apartheid government in South Africa.[70]
Kristofferson endorsed Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign in 1988 and Ross Perot's presidential campaign in 1992.[71][72]
Kristofferson's debut LP included a pro-Vietnam War song, but he said that he later became an opponent of the war after speaking with returning soldiers who had seen combat. Speaking about a soldier who had told him that he had witnessed other soldiers throwing people out of helicopters during interrogation, Kristofferson said, "The notion that you could make a young person do something so inhumane to another soldier—or even worse, a civilian—convinced me that we were in the wrong." Kristofferson called himself a "dove with claws" and remained proud of his military service in spite of his anti-imperialist views.
In a 1991 interview on New Zealand TV, he condemned media support for the Gulf War, saying "The lapdog media cranks out propaganda that would make a Nazi blush."[73] Kristofferson was a supporter of the United Farm Workers and appeared at several rallies and benefits for them, campaigning with Cesar Chavez for the passage of Proposition 14. He continued to play at benefits for the UFW through the 2010s. In 1987, he played at a benefit concert for Leonard Peltier with Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson and Joni Mitchell. In 1995, he dedicated a song to Mumia Abu-Jamal at a concert in Philadelphia, and was booed by the crowd.[74]
He performed in benefit concerts for Palestinian children, and said that he "found a considerable lack of work as a result." At a Bob Dylan anniversary concert shortly after Sinead O'Connor's protest on Saturday Night Live, he showed solidarity with her when she was booed by the crowd.[75]
Discography Main article: Kris Kristofferson discography
- Studio albums
.mw-parser-output .div-col{margin-top:0.3em;column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .div-col-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .div-col-rules{column-rule:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .div-col dl,.mw-parser-output .div-col ol,.mw-parser-output .div-col ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .div-col li,.mw-parser-output .div-col dd{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}
- Kristofferson (1970)
- The Silver Tongued Devil and I (1971)
- Border Lord (1972)
- Jesus Was a Capricorn (1972)
- Full Moon (with Rita Coolidge) (1973)
- Spooky Lady's Sideshow (1974)
- Breakaway (with Rita Coolidge) (1974)
- Who's to Bless and Who's to Blame (1975)
- Surreal Thing (1976)
- Easter Island (1978)
- Natural Act (with Rita Coolidge) (1978)
- Shake Hands with the Devil (1979)
- To the Bone (1981)
- Repossessed (1986)
- Third World Warrior (1990)
- A Moment of Forever (1995)
- The Austin Sessions (1999)
- This Old Road (2006)
- Closer to the Bone (2009)
- Feeling Mortal (2013)
- The Cedar Creek Sessions (2016)
Filmography Main article: Kris Kristofferson filmography
- Films starred
- The Last Movie (1971)
- Cisco Pike (1972)
- Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)
- Blume in Love (1973)
- Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
- Convoy (1978)
- Heaven's Gate (1980)
- Flashpoint (1984)
- Big Top Pee-wee (1988)
- Lone Star (1996)
- Blade (1998)
- Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999)
- Blade II (2002)
- Blade: Trinity (2004)
- Dolphin Tale (2011)
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 1970 Country Music Association Awards Song of the Year "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" Won 1973 "Why Me" Nominated Single of the Year Nominated Academy of Country Music Awards Song of the Year Nominated BAFTA Awards Best Newcomer Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Nominated 1974 Academy of Country Music Awards Song of the Year "One Day at a Time" Nominated 1976 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor in a Musical A Star Is Born Won 1984 Academy Awards Best Original Score Songwriter Nominated 1985 Country Music Association Awards Single of the Year "Highwayman" Nominated Video of the Year Nominated Academy of Country Music Awards Single of the Year Won Video of the Year Nominated Album of the Year Nominated 2003 Americana Music Honors & Awards Free Speech Award Himself Won 2005 Academy of Country Music Awards Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award Won 2013 Poets Award Won 2019 Country Music Association Awards Lifetime Achievement Award Himself Won Grammy Awards
Kristofferson has won three competitive Grammys from thirteen nominations. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.[76]
Year Category Nominated work Result 1971 Song of the Year "Me and Bobby McGee" Nominated "Help Me Make It Through the Night" Nominated Best Country Song Won "Me and Bobby McGee" Nominated "For the Good Times" Nominated 1973 "Why Me" Nominated Best Male Country Vocal Performance Nominated Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group "From The Bottle To The Bottom" (with Rita Coolidge) Won 1974 "Loving Arms" (with Rita Coolidge) Nominated 1975 "Lover Please" (with Rita Coolidge) Won 1985 "Highwayman" (with the Highwaymen) Nominated 1990 Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals Highwayman 2 Nominated 2014 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Himself Won 2016 Best Americana Album The Cedar Creek Sessions Nominated References .mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}
- ^ .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}"Kris Kristofferson | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ "Death claims famed pilot". The Times. San Mateo, California. January 4, 1971. p.3. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2020. Henry C. Kristofferson, 65, famed pilot and former division manager for Pan American World Airways when he was a resident of San Mateo, died... two sons, Kraig and Kris, who has recently won fame as a folk music and country-western singer.
- ^ a b c d "Acts of Will". Pomona College Magazine (Winter 2004). Archived from the original on September 7, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Collar, Matt. "Kris Kristofferson biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ O'Connor, Colleen. "Kris Kristofferson Following his passions – wherever they may lead". dallasnews.com – Archives. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ a b Zompolis, Gregory N. (2004). Images of America, San Mateo. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. pp.60–65. ISBN0738529567.
- ^ interview on Hawaii Public Radio, June 2, 2011
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson Short Stories". Kris Kristofferson by Fans, for Fans. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
- ^ "Kristoffer Kristofferson". Sports Illustrated. (A Pat on the Back). March 31, 1958. p.80. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- ^ "Kristofferson entry on Rhodes Trust database". Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Levens, R.G.C., ed. (1964). Merton College Register 1900–1964. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p.505.
- ^ Schneider, Jason "Kris Kristofferson: the Pilgrim's Progress" Exclaim! October 2009.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson Bio". Oh Boy Records. Archived from the original on November 5, 2009. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
- ^ Archived September 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson Bio". CMT. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ Vergun, David (March 23, 2021). "Sports Heroes Who Served: Singer, Songwriter, Actor Kris Kristofferson Is Also an Army Veteran". Defense.gov. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ Miller, Stephen (December 17, 2009). Kristofferson: The Wild American. Omnibus Press. ISBN9780857121097. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson's Rock And Rules | Clash Music Exclusive Interview". Clashmusic.com. July 27, 2010. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ a b Hurd, Mary 2015, p.22.
- ^ a b Hurd, Mary 2015, p.23.
- ^ Thibodeaux, Ron 2006.
- ^ Larkin, Colin 2006, p.28.
- ^ Edmondson, Jacqueline 2013, p.631.
- ^ Hurd, Mary 2015, p.26.
- ^ a b Hurd, Mary 2015, p.27.
- ^ a b Hurd, Mary 2015, p.28.
- ^ Thomson, Graeme 2016.
- ^ Hurst, Jack 1970, p.3-5.
- ^ Miller, Stephen 2009, p.129.
- ^ Hilburn, Robert (June 15, 1970). "A Rhodes Scholar Finds Song Niche". Los Angeles Times. Vol.89. p.19. Retrieved December 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Shipley, Nancy (November 23, 1970). "Texas Singer Makes good". Vol.76. The Shreveport Journal. Associated Press. p.B5. Retrieved December 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Burke 1974.
- ^ Hurd, Mary 2015, p.42.
- ^ Streissguth, Michael 2013, p.87.
- ^ Streissguth, Michael 2013, pp.88, 89.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nded.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.330. ISBN0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "Al Green – For The Good Times". discogs.com. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
- ^ "1973". Pomona College Timeline. November 7, 2014. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ York, M. (2024). The Highwaymen – Songs & Stories: The Mount Rushmore of Country Music. BookPatch LLC. p.67. ISBN979-8-88567-194-1. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson Biography" "CMT" 2004.
- ^ Kristofferson, Kris. "They Killed Him". bobdylan.com. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
- ^ John Corry, TV VIEW; LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM AMERKIA. NYTimes. Feb. 22, 1987.
- ^ a b Strauss, Neil (June 6, 2016). "Kris Kristofferson: An Outlaw at 80". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
- ^ "Fire Down Below (1997)". tcm.com. Turner Classic Movies, Inc. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ^ "Americana Awards Honor Kristofferson, Douglas, Prine and Phillips". BMI. October 8, 2003. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
- ^ Gerome, John (March 12, 2007). "Kris Kristofferson to Receive CMT Award". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ Holden, Stephen. "Realism, Both Magic and Downright Mean". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson". newwestrecords.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson to be Honored as Icon at 57th Annual BMI Country Awards". bmi.com. June 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
- ^ 'I never doubted once', country icon says. CNN. November 11, 2009. Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson on being an aging heartthrob, singer and actor". The Washington Post.
- ^ "John Mellencamp Official Site | A Year-End Conversation with John". Mellencamp.com. December 15, 2009. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
- ^ Conway, Tom. "Kristofferson 'Feeling Mortal' but good". Southbendtribune.com. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "An Evening with Kris Kristofferson: The Pilgri..." AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ Staff, G. R. (August 10, 2010). "Fallout: New Vegas Has Some Big Name Voice Talent". Game Rant. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "Q&A: Kris Kristofferson". Las Vegas Magazine. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- ^ "2017 Grammy Awards: Complete list of nominees". Los Angeles Times. December 6, 2016. Archived from the original on January 14, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
- ^ "Cover Stories: Brandi Carlile Celebrates 10 Years of the Story (An Album to Benefit War Child) by Various Artists". iTunes. Archived from the original on January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
- ^ "Column: Jeff Simon: An all-star birthday party for Joni Mitchell and others". Buffalo News. April 4, 2019. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ "British Summertime Festival: Only Barbara Streisand could sing Silent Night in mid-Summer". kcwlondon.co.uk. KCW Today. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson Camp Confirms He Has Retired: 'It Just Felt Very Organic'". Variety. January 28, 2021. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
- ^ Woodhouse, John (September 29, 2024). "A tribute to longtime Maui resident Kris Kristofferson". The Maui News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
- ^ Morris, Chris (September 29, 2024). "Kris Kristofferson, Country Music Legend and 'A Star Is Born' Leading Man, Dies at 88". Variety. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
- ^ "US country music star Kris Kristofferson dies, aged 88". BBC. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ Schneider, Jason. "Kris Kristofferson The Pilgrim's Progress". Exclaim.ca. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
- ^ Cohen, Leonard, Greatest hits, Sony Music Entertainment Inc, CD booklet, p. 4, OCLC863239766, archived from the original on October 1, 2024, retrieved February 12, 2023
- ^ a b c d e Campbell, Courtney (August 30, 2020). "Kris Kristofferson + Lisa Meyers: Inside Their 37-Year Love Story". Wideopencountry.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Cashmere, Paul (September 29, 2024). "Kris Kristofferson Dies at Age 88". Noise11. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "Family for Kris Kristofferson". Tcm.com. June 22, 1936. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
- ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (March 18, 2024). "The Not-So-Subtle Political Commentary Behind Kris Kristofferson's 1990 Single 'Don't Let the Bastards (Get You Down)'". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ Easton, Nina J. (June 7, 1988). "Campaign '88 Gets the Star Treatment". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Spotnitz, Frank (June 12, 1992). "How Ross Perot got a line on Hollywood celebs". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Lehmann, Chris (October 1, 2024). "How Kris Kristofferson Beat the Devil". ISSN0027-8378. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Browne, David (October 2, 2024). "Kris Kristofferson Paid a Price for His Social Activism. He Didn't Care". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Barton, Laura (September 30, 2024). "Kris Kristofferson: the soldier turned star made a tough life into tender poetry". The Guardian. ISSN0261-3077. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ "Kris Kristofferson". GRAMMY.com. November 19, 2019. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
Sources
- Burke, Tom (April 1974). "Kris Kristofferson's Talking Blues". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- Edmondson, Jacqueline (2013). Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories that Shaped our Culture. ABC-CLIO. ISBN978-0-313-39348-8.
- Hurd, Mary (2015). Kris Kristofferson: Country Highwayman. Roman and Littlefeld. ISBN978-0-810-88821-0.
- Hurst, Jack (September 6, 1970). "Kristofferson Beats the Devil". The Tennessean. Vol.65, no.131. pp.3–5. Retrieved December 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. MUZE. ISBN978-0-195-31373-4.
- Miller, Stephen (2009). Kristofferson: The Wild American. Omnibus Press. ISBN978-0-857-12109-7.
- Streissguth, Michael (2013). Outlaw: Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville. Harper Collins. ISBN978-0-062-03820-3.
- Thibodeaux, Ron (2006). "He made it through the night". New Orleans Times-Picayune. Georges Media Group. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
- Thomson, Graeme (June 22, 2016). "Kris Kristofferson: "I'm sure I made some stupid mistakes..."". Uncut. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
Further reading
- Bernhardt, Jack. (1998). "Kris Kristofferson". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp.286–287.
- Blackman, Annie; DeSantis, Rachel (September 30, 2024). "Kris Kristofferson, A Star Is Born Actor and Country Legend, Dies at 88". People. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- Kaplan, Anna (September 30, 2024). "Kris Kristofferson dies at 88: What he and his family have shared about his health". Today. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
External links .mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img{background-color:white}} Wikiquote has quotations related to Kris Kristofferson. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kris Kristofferson.
- Official website
- Kristofferson fan website
- The Old Oxonion Blues 1959 profile in Time
- Kristofferson at the Country Music Hall of Fame
- Kris Kristofferson at New West Records
- Kris Kristofferson discography at Discogs
- Kris Kristofferson at IMDb
- Kris Kristofferson at the TCM Movie Database
- Kris Kristofferson at Broadcast Music, Inc.
Awards PrecededbyJohnny Cash First Amendment Center/AMA "Spirit of Americana" Free Speech Award
2003 SucceededbySteve Earle .mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist-solo .navbox-title{background-color:#f0e68c}.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist-non-vocal .navbox-title{background-color:#f4bf92}.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist-non-perform .navbox-title{background-color:#bfe0bf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist-group .navbox-title{background-color:#b0c4de}.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist-cover .navbox-title{background-color:#d8bfd8}.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist-classical .navbox-title{background-color:#b0e0e6}.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist-temp .navbox-title{background-color:#d3d3d3}.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0)}html.skin-theme-clienpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist .navbox-title{background-color:inherit}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clienpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbox-musical-artist .navbox-title{background-color:inherit}}.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:""}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}
- v
- t
- e
Kris Kristofferson
- Discography
- Filmography
Albums
- Kristofferson
- The Silver Tongued Devil and I
- Border Lord
- Jesus Was a Capricorn
- Spooky Lady's Sideshow
- Who's to Bless and Who's to Blame
- Surreal Thing
- A Star Is Born
- Easter Island
- Shake Hands with the Devil
- To the Bone
- The Winning Hand
- Music from Songwriter
- Repossessed
- Third World Warrior
- A Moment of Forever
- The Austin Sessions
- This Old Road
- Closer to the Bone
- The Cedar Creek Sessions
With Rita Coolidge
- Full Moon
- Breakaway
- Natural Act
Live
- Live at the Philharmonic
- Broken Freedom Song: Live from San Francisco
Compilation albums
- Songs of Kristofferson
- The Essential Kris Kristofferson
- Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends: The Publishing Demos
- The Complete Monument & Columbia Album Collection
Songs
- "For the Good Times"
- "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down"
- "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)"
- "Why Me"
- "Me and Bobby McGee"
- "Help Me Make It Through the Night"
- "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends"
- "Nobody Wins"
- "Loving Arms"
- "Lover Please"
- "They Killed Him"
- "The Heart"
- "One Day at a Time"
See also
- The Highwaymen
- Willie Nelson Sings Kristofferson
Awards for Kris Kristofferson
- v
- t
- e
CMA Song of the Year1967−1970
- "There Goes My Everything" - Dallas Frazier (1967)
- "Honey" - Bobby Russell (1968)
- "The Carroll County Accident" - Bob Ferguson (1969)
- "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" - Kris Kristofferson (1970)
1971−1980
- "Easy Loving" - Freddie Hart (1971−72)
- "Behind Closed Doors" - Kenny O'Dell (1973)
- "Country Bumpkin" - Don Wayne (1974)
- "Back Home Again" - John Denver (1975)
- "Rhinestone Cowboy" - Larry Weiss (1976)
- "Lucille" Roger Bowling, Hal Bynum - (1977)
- "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" - Richard Leigh (1978)
- "The Gambler" - Don Schlitz (1979)
- "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman (1980)
1981−1990
- "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman (1981)
- "Always on My Mind" - Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, Mark James (1982−83)
- "Wind Beneath My Wings" - Larry Henley, Jeff Silbar (1984)
- "God Bless the U.S.A." - Lee Greenwood (1985)
- "On the Other Hand" - Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz (1986)
- "Forever and Ever, Amen - Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz (1987)
- "80's Ladies" - K. T. Oslin (1988)
- "Chiseled in Stone" - Max D. Barnes, Vern Gosdin (1989)
- "Where've You Been" - Don Henry, Jon Vezner (1990)
1991−2000
- "When I Call Your Name" - Tim DuBois, Vince Gill (1991)
- "Look at Us" - Vince Gill, Max D. Barnes (1992)
- "I Still Believe in You" - Vince Gill, John Barlow Jarvis (1993)
- "Chattahoochee" - Jim McBride, Alan Jackson (1994)
- "Independence Day" - Gretchen Peters (1995)
- "Go Rest High on That Mountain" - Vince Gill (1996)
- "Strawberry Wine" - Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison (1997)
- "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" - Billy Kirsch, Steve Wariner (1998)
- "This Kiss" - Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner, Annie Roboff (1999)
- "I Hope You Dance" - Mark D. Sanders, Tia Sillers (2000)
2001−2010
- "Murder on Music Row" - Larry Cordle, Larry Shell (2001)
- "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" - Alan Jackson (2002)
- "Three Wooden Crosses" - Doug Johnson, Kim Williams (2003)
- "Live Like You Were Dying" - Tim Nichols, Craig Wiseman (2004)
- "Whiskey Lullaby" - Bill Anderson, Jon Randall (2005)
- "Believe" - Ronnie Dunn, Craig Wiseman (2006)
- "Give It Away" - Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson (2007)
- "Stay" - Jennifer Nettles (2008)
- "In Color" - Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller, James Otto (2009)
- "The House That Built Me" - Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin (2010)
2011−2020
- "If I Die Young" - Kimberly Perry (2011)
- "Over You" - Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton (2012)
- "I Drive Your Truck" - Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary (2013)
- "Follow Your Arrow" - Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves (2014)
- "Girl Crush" - Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose (2015)
- "Humble and Kind" - Lori McKenna (2016)
- "Better Man" - Taylor Swift (2017)
- "Broken Halos" - Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton (2018)
- "Beautiful Crazy" - Luke Combs, Wyatt Durrette, Robert Williford (2019)
2021−2030
- "The Bones" - Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz (2020)
- "Starting Over" - Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton (2021)
- "Buy Dirt" - Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins (2022)
- "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman (2023)
- "White Horse" - Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson (2024)
- v
- t
- e
Country Music Hall of Fame 2000s
- Charley Pride (2000)
- Faron Young (2000)
- Bill Anderson (2001)
- The Delmore Brothers (2001)
- The Everly Brothers (2001)
- Don Gibson (2001)
- Homer and Jethro (2001)
- Waylon Jennings (2001)
- The Jordanaires (2001)
- Don Law (2001)
- The Louvin Brothers (2001)
- Ken Nelson (2001)
- Sam Phillips (2001)
- Webb Pierce (2001)
- Bill Carlisle (2002)
- Porter Wagoner (2002)
- Floyd Cramer (2003)
- Carl Smith (2003)
- Jim Foglesong (2004)
- Kris Kristofferson (2004)
- Alabama (2005)
- DeFord Bailey (2005)
- Glen Campbell (2005)
- Harold Bradley (2006)
- Sonny James (2006)
- George Strait (2006)
- Ralph Emery (2007)
- Vince Gill (2007)
- Mel Tillis (2007)
- Tom T. Hall (2008)
- Emmylou Harris (2008)
- The Statler Brothers (2008)
- Ernest Stoneman (2008)
- Roy Clark (2009)
- Barbara Mandrell (2009)
- Charlie McCoy (2009)
- v
- t
- e
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy1950–1976
- Fred Astaire (1949)
- Danny Kaye (1951)
- Donald O'Connor (1952)
- David Niven (1953)
- James Mason (1954)
- Tom Ewell (1955)
- Mario Moreno (1956)
- Frank Sinatra (1957)
- Danny Kaye (1958)
- Jack Lemmon (1959)
- Jack Lemmon (1960)
- Glenn Ford (1961)
- Marcello Mastroianni (1962)
- Alberto Sordi (1963)
- Rex Harrison (1964)
- Lee Marvin (1965)
- Alan Arkin (1966)
- Richard Harris (1967)
- Ron Moody (1968)
- Peter O'Toole (1969)
- Albert Finney (1970)
- Chaim Topol (1971)
- Jack Lemmon (1972)
- George Segal (1973)
- Art Carney (1974)
- George Burns / Walter Matthau (1975)
1976–2000
- Kris Kristofferson (1976)
- Richard Dreyfuss (1977)
- Warren Beatty (1978)
- Peter Sellers (1979)
- Ray Sharkey (1980)
- Dudley Moore (1981)
- Dustin Hoffman (1982)
- Michael Caine (1983)
- Dudley Moore (1984)
- Jack Nicholson (1985)
- Paul Hogan (1986)
- Robin Williams (1987)
- Tom Hanks (1988)
- Morgan Freeman (1989)
- Gérard Depardieu (1990)
- Robin Williams (1991)
- Tim Robbins (1992)
- Robin Williams (1993)
- Hugh Grant (1994)
- John Travolta (1995)
- Tom Cruise (1996)
- Jack Nicholson (1997)
- Michael Caine (1998)
- Jim Carrey (1999)
- George Clooney (2000)
2001–present
- Gene Hackman (2001)
- Richard Gere (2002)
- Bill Murray (2003)
- Jamie Foxx (2004)
- Joaquin Phoenix (2005)
- Sacha Baron Cohen (2006)
- Johnny Depp (2007)
- Colin Farrell (2008)
- Robert Downey Jr. (2009)
- Paul Giamatti (2010)
- Jean Dujardin (2011)
- Hugh Jackman (2012)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (2013)
- Michael Keaton (2014)
- Matt Damon (2015)
- Ryan Gosling (2016)
- James Franco (2017)
- Christian Bale (2018)
- Taron Egerton (2019)
- Sacha Baron Cohen (2020)
- Andrew Garfield (2021)
- Colin Farrell (2022)
- Paul Giamatti (2023)
- Sebastian Stan (2024)
- v
- t
- e
Grammy Award for Best Country Song1960s
- "Dang Me" – Roger Miller (songwriter) (1964)
- "King of the Road" – Roger Miller (songwriter) (1965)
- "Almost Persuaded" – Billy Sherrill & Glenn Sutton (songwriters) (1966)
- "Gentle on My Mind" – John Hartford (songwriter) (1967)
- "Little Green Apples" – Bobby Russell (songwriter) (1968)
- "A Boy Named Sue" – Shel Silverstein (songwriter) (1969)
1970s
- "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife" – Marty Robbins (songwriter) (1970)
- "Help Me Make It Through the Night" – Kris Kristofferson (songwriter) (1971)
- "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'" – Ben Peters (songwriter) (1972)
- "Behind Closed Doors" – Kenny O'Dell (songwriter) (1973)
- "A Very Special Love Song" – Norro Wilson & Billy Sherrill (songwriters) (1974)
- "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" – Chips Moman & Larry Butler (songwriters) (1975)
- "Broken Lady" – Larry Gatlin (songwriter) (1976)
- "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" – Richard Leigh (songwriter) (1977)
- "The Gambler" – Don Schlitz (songwriter) (1978)
- "You Decorated My Life" – Debbie Hupp & Bob Morrison (songwriters) (1979)
1980s
- "On the Road Again" – Willie Nelson (songwriter) (1980)
- "9 to 5" – Dolly Parton (songwriter) (1981)
- "Always on My Mind" – Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher & Mark James (songwriters) (1982)
- "Stranger in My House" – Mike Reid (songwriter) (1983)
- "City of New Orleans" – Steve Goodman (songwriter) (1984)
- "Highwayman" – Jimmy Webb (songwriter) (1985)
- "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)" – Jamie O'Hara (songwriter) (1986)
- "Forever and Ever, Amen" – Paul Overstreet & Don Schlitz (songwriters) (1987)
- "Hold Me" – K. T. Oslin (songwriter) (1988)
- "After All This Time" – Rodney Crowell (songwriter) (1989)
1990s
- "Where've You Been" – Don Henry & Jon Vezner (songwriters) (1990)
- "Love Can Build a Bridge" – John Barlow Jarvis, Naomi Judd & Paul Overstreet (songwriters) (1991)
- "I Still Believe in You" – Vince Gill & John Barlow Jarvis (songwriters) (1992)
- "Passionate Kisses" – Lucinda Williams (songwriter) (1993)
- "I Swear" – Gary Baker & Frank J. Myers (songwriters) (1994)
- "Go Rest High on That Mountain" – Vince Gill (songwriter) (1995)
- "Blue" – Bill Mack (songwriter) (1996)
- "Butterfly Kisses" – Bob Carlisle & Randy Thomas (songwriters) (1997)
- "You're Still the One" – Robert John "Mutt" Lange & Shania Twain (songwriters) (1998)
- "Come On Over" – Robert John "Mutt" Lange & Shania Twain (songwriters) (1999)
2000s
- "I Hope You Dance" – Mark D. Sanders & Tia Sillers (songwriters) (2000)
- "The Lucky One" – Robert Lee Castleman (songwriter) (2001)
- "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" – Alan Jackson (songwriter) (2002)
- "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" – Jim "Moose" Brown & Don Rollins (songwriters) (2003)
- "Live Like You Were Dying" – Tim Nichols & Craig Wiseman (songwriters) (2004)
- "Bless the Broken Road" – Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna, & Marcus Hummon (songwriters) (2005)
- "Jesus, Take the Wheel" – Hillary Lindsey, Brett James & Gordie Sampson (songwriters) (2006)
- "Before He Cheats" – Chris Tompkins & Josh Kear (songwriters) (2007)
- "Stay" – Jennifer Nettles (songwriter) (2008)
- "White Horse" – Liz Rose & Taylor Swift (songwriters) (2009)
2010s
- "Need You Now" – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott (songwriters) (2010)
- "Mean" – Taylor Swift (songwriter) (2011)
- "Blown Away" – Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins (songwriters) (2012)
- "Merry Go 'Round" – Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne (songwriters) (2013)
- "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" – Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond (songwriters) (2014)
- "Girl Crush" – Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, & Liz Rose (songwriters) (2015)
- "Humble and Kind" – Lori McKenna (songwriter) (2016)
- "Broken Halos" – Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton (songwriters) (2017)
- "Space Cowboy" – Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, & Kacey Musgraves (songwriters) (2018)
- "Bring My Flowers Now" – Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth, & Tanya Tucker (songwriters) (2019)
2020s
- "Crowded Table" – Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby & Lori McKenna (songwriters) (2020)
- "Cold" – Dave Cobb, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon & Chris Stapleton (songwriters) (2021)
- "'Til You Can't" – Matt Rogers & Ben Stennis (songwriters) (2022)
- "White Horse" – Chris Stapleton & Dan Wilson (songwriters) (2023)
- "The Architect" – Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne (songwriters) (2024)
- v
- t
- e
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award1963–1990
- 1963
- Bing Crosby
- 1965
- Frank Sinatra
- 1966
- Duke Ellington
- 1967
- Ella Fitzgerald
- 1968
- Irving Berlin
- 1971
- Elvis Presley
- 1972
- Louis Armstrong
- Mahalia Jackson
- 1984
- Chuck Berry
- Charlie Parker
- 1985
- Leonard Bernstein
- 1986
- Benny Goodman
- The Rolling Stones
- Andrés Segovia
- 1987
- Roy Acuff
- Benny Carter
- Enrico Caruso
- Ray Charles
- Fats Domino
- Woody Herman
- Billie Holiday
- B.B. King
- Isaac Stern
- Igor Stravinsky
- Arturo Toscanini
- Hank Williams
- 1989
- Fred Astaire
- Pablo Casals
- Dizzy Gillespie
- Jascha Heifetz
- Lena Horne
- Leontyne Price
- Bessie Smith
- Art Tatum
- Sarah Vaughan
- 1990
- Nat King Cole
- Miles Davis
- Vladimir Horowitz
- Paul McCartney
1991–2000
- 1991
- Marian Anderson
- Bob Dylan
- John Lennon
- Kitty Wells
- 1992
- James Brown
- John Coltrane
- Jimi Hendrix
- Muddy Waters
- 1993
- Chet Atkins
- Little Richard
- Thelonious Monk
- Bill Monroe
- Pete Seeger
- Fats Waller
- 1994
- Bill Evans
- Aretha Franklin
- Arthur Rubinstein
- 1995
- Patsy Cline
- Peggy Lee
- Henry Mancini
- Curtis Mayfield
- Barbra Streisand
- 1996
- Dave Brubeck
- Marvin Gaye
- Georg Solti
- Stevie Wonder
- 1997
- Bobby "Blue" Bland
- The Everly Brothers
- Judy Garland
- Stéphane Grappelli
- Buddy Holly
- Charles Mingus
- Oscar Peterson
- Frank Zappa
- 1998
- Bo Diddley
- The Mills Brothers
- Roy Orbison
- Paul Robeson
- 1999
- Johnny Cash
- Sam Cooke
- Otis Redding
- Smokey Robinson
- Mel Tormé
- 2000
- Harry Belafonte
- Woody Guthrie
- John Lee Hooker
- Mitch Miller
- Willie Nelson
2001–2010
- 2001
- The Beach Boys
- Tony Bennett
- Sammy Davis Jr.
- Bob Marley
- The Who
- 2002
- Count Basie
- Rosemary Clooney
- Perry Como
- Al Green
- Joni Mitchell
- 2003
- Etta James
- Johnny Mathis
- Glenn Miller
- Tito Puente
- Simon & Garfunkel
- 2004
- Van Cliburn
- The Funk Brothers
- Ella Jenkins
- Sonny Rollins
- Artie Shaw
- Doc Watson
- 2005
- Eddy Arnold
- Art Blakey
- The Carter Family
- Morton Gould
- Janis Joplin
- Led Zeppelin
- Jerry Lee Lewis
- Jelly Roll Morton
- Pinetop Perkins
- The Staple Singers
- 2006
- David Bowie
- Cream
- Merle Haggard
- Robert Johnson
- Jessye Norman
- Richard Pryor
- The Weavers
- 2007
- Joan Baez
- Booker T. & the M.G.'s
- Maria Callas
- Ornette Coleman
- The Doors
- The Grateful Dead
- Bob Wills
- 2008
- Burt Bacharach
- The Band
- Cab Calloway
- Doris Day
- Itzhak Perlman
- Max Roach
- Earl Scruggs
- 2009
- Gene Autry
- The Blind Boys of Alabama
- The Four Tops
- Hank Jones
- Brenda Lee
- Dean Martin
- Tom Paxton
- 2010
- Leonard Cohen
- Bobby Darin
- David "Honeyboy" Edwards
- Michael Jackson
- Loretta Lynn
- André Previn
- Clark Terry
2011–2020
- 2011
- Julie Andrews
- Roy Haynes
- Juilliard String Quartet
- The Kingston Trio
- Dolly Parton
- Ramones
- George Beverly Shea
- 2012
- The Allman Brothers Band
- Glen Campbell
- Antônio Carlos Jobim
- George Jones
- The Memphis Horns
- Diana Ross
- Gil Scott-Heron
- 2013
- Glenn Gould
- Charlie Haden
- Lightnin' Hopkins
- Carole King
- Patti Page
- Ravi Shankar
- The Temptations
- 2014
- The Beatles
- Clifton Chenier
- The Isley Brothers
- Kraftwerk
- Kris Kristofferson
- Armando Manzanero
- Maud Powell
- 2015
- Bee Gees
- Pierre Boulez
- Buddy Guy
- George Harrison
- Flaco Jiménez
- The Louvin Brothers
- Wayne Shorter
- 2016
- Ruth Brown
- Celia Cruz
- Earth, Wind & Fire
- Herbie Hancock
- Jefferson Airplane
- Linda Ronstadt
- Run-DMC
- 2017
- Shirley Caesar
- Ahmad Jamal
- Charley Pride
- Jimmie Rodgers
- Nina Simone
- Sly Stone
- The Velvet Underground
- 2018
- Hal Blaine
- Neil Diamond
- Emmylou Harris
- Louis Jordan
- The Meters
- Queen
- Tina Turner
- 2019
- Black Sabbath
- George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic
- Billy Eckstine
- Donny Hathaway
- Julio Iglesias
- Sam & Dave
- Dionne Warwick
- 2020
- Chicago
- Roberta Flack
- Isaac Hayes
- Iggy Pop
- John Prine
- Public Enemy
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe
2021–present
- 2021
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
- Lionel Hampton
- Marilyn Horne
- Salt-N-Pepa
- Selena
- Talking Heads
- 2022
- Bonnie Raitt
- 2023
- Bobby McFerrin
- Nirvana
- Ma Rainey
- Slick Rick
- Nile Rodgers
- The Supremes
- Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson
- 2024
- Laurie Anderson
- The Clark Sisters
- Gladys Knight
- N.W.A
- Donna Summer
- Tammy Wynette
- 2025
- Frankie Beverly
- The Clash
- Bobby Jones
- Taj Mahal
- Prince
- Roxanne Shante
- Frankie Valli
- v
- t
- e
Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
- Willie Nelson (2012)
- Kenny Rogers (2013)
- Johnny Cash (2015)
- Dolly Parton (2016)
- Kris Kristofferson (2019)
- Charley Pride (2020)
- Loretta Lynn (2021)
- Alan Jackson (2022)
- George Strait (2024)
- v
- t
- e
The Highwaymen
- Johnny Cash
- Waylon Jennings
- Kris Kristofferson
- Willie Nelson
Studio albums
- Highwayman
- Highwayman 2
- The Road Goes On Forever
Singles
- "Highwayman"
- "Desperados Waiting for a Train"
- "Silver Stallion"
- "Born and Raised in Black and White"
- "It Is What It Is"
.mw-parser-output .tooltip-dotted{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}Authority control databases International
- ISNI
- VIAF
- FAST
- WorldCat
National
- Germany
- United States
- France
- BnF data
- Italy
- Australia
- Czech Republic
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Latvia
- Croatia
- Korea
- Sweden
- Poland
- Israel
- Finland
Academics
- CiNii
Artists
- MusicBrainz
- Grammy Awards
- FID
People
- Trove
- Deutsche Biographie
Other
- IdRef
- SNAC
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kris_Kristofferson&oldid=1281774856"