Kris Kristofferson was always defined for greatness— it was just a matter of which path he would choose. He was a Rhodes scholar, a college rugby standout, and a high-ranking officer in the U.S. military. To our massive collective fortune, however, he chose songwriting as his livelihood.
Upon his death in September 2025 at age 88, the man left behind a lyrical treasure trove, with his catalog including “Me and Bobby McGee” (1970); “Sunday Morning Coming Down” (1969); and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (1970).
Today, we’re celebrating poet and renaissance man Kris Kristofferson on what would have marked his 90th birthday.
Kris Kristofferson Changed Country Music Forever
Kristoffer “Kris” Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936, in the U.S.-Mexico border town of Brownsville, Texas.
His military father eventually ascended to the rank of major general in the Air Force, and Kristofferson grew up with the assumption that he would one day follow in his footsteps. However, he enrolled at Pomona College in Claremont, California, to study literature, eying a career as a novelist.
Kristofferson soon gained recognition for his writing, although that attention had to compete with his athletic achievements. His prowess in rugby, football, and track and field landed him in a March 1958 issue of Sports Illustrated. (Oh, yeah—he was also a Golden Gloves boxer.)
After earning his bachelor’s degree in literature, Kristofferson headed to England to study at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. He signed with a music manager there, hoping his songwriting would eventually lead him to his dream of becoming a novelist.
After earning his mater’s degree in English literature, Kristofferson joined the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant.
Rising to the rank of captain, he was eventually assigned to teach English literature at West Point in New York. However, even with his myriad of accomplishments, Kris Kristofferson still managed to disappoint his parents.
Instead of heading to West Point, he abandoned his military career and moved to Nashville, hoping to get his songwriting career off the ground.
He Lived the Life of a True Creative
While writing songs, Kris Kristofferson worked a variety of jobs leading up to his musical career, including as a janitor at Columbia Records. He struck gold with “Sunday Morning Coming Down”, which his hero, Johnny Cash, turned into a number-one hit in 1970.
A three-time Grammy Award winner, Kristofferson also built up an impressive acting resume, featuring in films such as A Star Is Born (1976) and the Blade film trilogy in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He was a member of country music supergroup the Highwaymen, along with fellow outlaw titans Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson.
“He preached that a life of the mind gives voice to the soul, and then he created a body of work that gave voice not only to his soul but to ours,” wrote Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young.
Featured image by Al Clayton/Getty Images
The post Born in Texas 90 Years Ago Today, This Rhodes Scholar, Standout Athlete, and One of Country Music’s Greatest Songwriters appeared first on American Songwriter.
Author: Erinn Callahan
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