BIOGRAPHY: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

SONGWRITING TRAILBLAZER

Among the major names in the Outlaw movement, Kris Kristofferson probably took the most unlikely path. He studied literature in college and earned a higher degree in literature from Oxford University in England. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, learned to fly a helicopter, and he became an officer. He accepted a job teaching literature at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

And then he walked away from it all, following his dreams and moving to Nashville to become a songwriter. Within a few short years, he became songwriters who used music to tell stories and dig a trailblazer for a group of other young Outlaw deep into their emotions. songwriters. Kristofferson’s fame rose as one Nashville star after Born June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, another sang his songs. In 1970, producer Fred Kristofferson grew up in a military family, and he Foster encouraged Kristofferson to record his own did well in school and sports. He also listened music, despite his gravelly voice, and he caught on to the Grand Ole Opry and worked at writing among young listeners. songs. Still, music was a hobby until 1965 when, “I feel very lucky that my voice has been accepted,” two weeks before he was to start teaching at he said, “but it wouldn’t be if I was singing other West Point, he came to Nashville to explore the people’s songs.” songwriting scene. A chance meeting with a music idol, Johnny Cash, and a talk with producer Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in “Cowboy” Jack Clement convinced Kristofferson 2004, Kristofferson has also built a respected to change careers. acting career, in between writing, recording, and performing. “If you want to be a songwriter,” Clement said, “and you don’t care if you ever make any money “I recommend following your heart,” he said of at it, and you can’t do anything else — I mean, you his path. “If the whole world thinks you shouldn’t just can’t not write songs, then do it.” be doing something that you truly believe you’re supposed to be doing, you gotta do that. And that Kristofferson’s parents were crushed, but he was can alienate some people, but you just have to do determined. To support himself, he worked as what you feel like you were set down here to do.” a janitor, bartender, and carpenter’s assistant. By 1969, he led a new breed of Nashville poet-

SOURCES LISTEN American Songwriter; The Encyclopedia “Me and Bobby McGee” of Country Music; Outlaw: Waylon, Willie, Kris, and “Why Me?” the Renegades of Nashville by Michael Streissguth; The Washington Post