Kris Kristofferson

You’d be hard-pressed to find a piece of the music industry that legendary singer and songwriter Kris Kristofferson hasn’t influenced. From his hit, “Me & Bobby McGee”, to the foundation of the famous supergroup The Highwaymen, Kris Kristofferson has defined  and redefined country music, enhancing the genre with his signature style of honest songwriting and heartbreaking vocals. An acclaimed actor as well as a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, Kristofferson is more than a simple country musician, bringing his heart and soul into every song and every performance. 

 

Born in Texas in 1936, Kris Kristofferson excelled at nearly everything he attempted. A star college football player and Rhodes Scholar, the aspiring artist put his creative interests on hold when he joined the military, following in his father’s footsteps. Kristofferson proved to be a highly respectable soldier, serving honorably in the U.S. Army as a captain and helicopter pilot. Thankfully for his future fans, Kris just couldn’t ignore his passion for music and in 1965, he left the army to pursue songwriting. It didn’t take long for others to recognize Kris’s innate talent and by 1967 Kris Kristofferson was already signed to a record label. From there, the country star’s fame skyrocketed following the success of major hits such as “For the Good Times”, “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”, and “Help Me Make It Through the Night”, which earned him a Grammy for country song of the year. In 1985, Kris teamed up with country legends Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash to produce two wildly successful albums, including the number one hit, “Highwayman”. Over the years, Kris Kristofferson has extended his fame beyond the music industry, appearing in a number of blockbuster films, including the Blade series, Planet of the Apes, and A Star is Born, for which he received a Golden Globe.

 

28 albums later, Kris Kristofferson is still writing and producing genre-defining music at the age of 76. With his latest album, Feeling Mortal, Kris completes the last album of a twilight-years trilogy that reflects on the artist’s extensive career. Featuring instrumental work from guitarist Mark Goldenberg, guitarist Greg Leisz, keyboardist Matt Rollins, violinst and vocalist Sara Watkins, bassist Sean Hurley, and drummer Aaron Sterling, Feeling Mortal boasts “some of the singer-songwriter’s most raw and poignant material yet”, according to Dan Hyman of Rolling Stone magazine. This fall, country music and entertainment legend Kris Kristofferson comes to The Lyric for a show showcasing one of the most influential figures in songwriting history.