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Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter and actor, dies at 88
2024-09-30


[Wikipedia] Kristoffer Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, to Mary Ann (née Ashbrook) and Lars Henry Kristofferson, a U.S. Army Air Corps officer (later a U.S. Air Force major general).[1] Kristofferson's paternal grandfather was an officer in the Swedish Army.[2] While Kristofferson was a child, his father pushed him toward a military career.

In 1958, Kristofferson was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford,[9] studying at Merton College.[10] While at Oxford, he was awarded a Blue for boxing,[10] played rugby for his college, and began writing songs.

MILITARY SERVICE
Kristofferson, under pressure from his family, joined the U.S. Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant, attaining the rank of captain. He became a helicopter pilot after receiving flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He also completed Ranger School.[15] During the early 1960s, he was stationed in West Germany as a member of the 8th Infantry Division.[16] During this time, he resumed his music career and formed a band. In 1965, after his tour in Germany ended, Kristofferson was given an assignment to teach English literature at West Point.[17] Instead, he decided to leave the Army and pursue songwriting. His family disowned him because of his career decision; sources are unclear on whether they reconciled.[18][19][20] They saw it as a rejection of everything they stood for, although Kristofferson says he is proud of his time in the military and received the Veteran of the Year Award at the 2003 American Veterans Awards ceremony.

Posted by:Woodrow

#15  ^ Nicely played
Posted by: Frank G   2024-09-30 20:25  

#14  #2

No worries. They'll be back again and again and again and again...
Posted by: Cured Romantic    2024-09-30 20:02  

#13  Fine musician. Not looking too good lately.
Posted by: KBK   2024-09-30 19:54  

#12  The Silver Tongued Devil and I- great record.
Posted by: Ululating Platypus   2024-09-30 18:51  

#11  I fondly remember the movie Convoy (1978).
Posted by: European Conservative   2024-09-30 17:51  

#10  An Artisticâ„¢ vehicle, which I enjoyed as a teen
Posted by: Frank G   2024-09-30 17:49  

#9  Funny. Whenever they talk about his film credits, they never mention "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea"... a vehicle to allow Sarah Miles to take her clothes off,... again.
Posted by: Mercutio   2024-09-30 14:42  

#8  Pan, I read something this am that said he quit because they assigned him to teach literature at the Point. Family seriously miffed but according to the article he didn't resign to annoy them, He resigned because the Army annoyed him.
Posted by: Mercutio   2024-09-30 14:40  

#7  49 Pan, IIRC he did it as sort of an FU to his father.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2024-09-30 14:15  

#6  So I have to ask. Kris was a paratrooper and ranger, no easy feat. Then he went to flight school. All of this took quiet a bit of time, let alone his combat experience. Why did he get out? Was it the music? I have a lot of respect for him, just wondering.
Posted by: 49 Pan   2024-09-30 13:51  

#5  Helicopter pilot and Ranger School? I had no idea.
I'm impressed! RIP
Posted by: SteveS   2024-09-30 11:25  

#4  I enjoyed him in the campy Albert Pyun directed film Knights(1993) where he played a vigilante post apocalypse cyborg.
Posted by: magpie   2024-09-30 10:58  

#3  Inside Kris Kristofferson's turbulent romance with Janis Joplin
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-09-30 10:01  

#2  Only one of the Highwaymen left
Posted by: Clem+Elmish4239   2024-09-30 08:58  

#1  Me and Bobby McGee
Posted by: Besoeker   2024-09-30 07:45  

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