Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is an
American writer,
singer-
songwriter,
actor, and
musician. He is best known for hits such as "
Me and Bobby McGee", "
Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "
Help Me Make It Through the Night". Kristofferson is the sole writer of most of his songs, but he has collaborated with various other figures of the
Nashville scene such as
Shel Silverstein and Fred Rumfelt.
Biography
Early life
Kristofferson was born in
Brownsville, Texas, to parents Mary Ann (
née Ashbrook) and Lars Henry Kristofferson, a
U.S. Air Force major general.
[Kris Kristofferson Biography (1936-).] As is common with many military families, military service was a multi-generational tradition: Kristofferson's paternal grandfather was also an officer (in the
Swedish Army). When Kris was a child, his father pushed his son toward a military career.
[dallasnews.com | Archives.] Like most "
military brats" (children of career military families), Kristofferson moved around frequently as a youth, finally settling down in
[Insert footnote text here.] San Mateo, California, where he graduated from
San Mateo High School. An aspiring
writer, Kristofferson enrolled in
Pomona College in 1954. He experienced his first dose of fame when he appeared in
Sports Illustrateds "Faces In The Crowd" for his achievements in collegiate rugby union, football, and track and field. He and fellow classmates revived the Claremont Colleges Rugby Club in 1958, which has remained a Southern California rugby dynasty. Kristofferson became a member of Phi Beta Kappa at Pomona College, graduating in 1958 with a BA, summa cum laude in Literature.
