Age, Biography, and Wiki
- Full Name: Kris Kristofferson
- Born: June 22, 1936, Brownsville, Texas, USA
- Died: 2024
- Age at Death: 88 years old
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Swedish, English, Scottish, German, and Dutch ancestry
Kris Kristofferson rose to prominence as a songwriter and performer in the late 1960s and 1970s. He was a founding member of The Highwaymen, alongside Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. His poetic songwriting shaped the country genre, addressing themes of pain, joy, politics, and redemption. In addition to music, Kristofferson enjoyed a successful acting career, with memorable roles in films such as A Star Is Born and the Blade trilogy.
| Occupation | Football Players |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 22 June 1936 |
| Age | 89 Years |
| Birth Place | Brownsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 28 September, 2024 |
| Died Place | Hana, Hawaii, U.S. |
Height, Weight, & Measurements
- Height: Approximately 5'10" (178 cm)
- Weight: Estimated around 165 lbs (75 kg) in his prime
- Measurements: Not publicly detailed
These are general estimates based on media appearances and public photos.
Kristofferson released a new album of original songs titled Closer to the Bone on September 28, 2009. It is produced by Don Was on the New West Records label. Prior to the release, Kristofferson remarked: "I like the intimacy of the new album. It has a general mood of reflecting on where we all are at this time of life." On November 10, Kristofferson was honored as a BMI Icon at the 57th annual BMI Country Awards. Throughout his career, Kristofferson's songwriting garnered 48 BMI Country and Pop Awards. He later remarked, "The great thing about being a songwriter is you can hear your baby interpreted by so many people that have creative talents vocally that I don't have." Kristofferson had always denied having a good voice, and had said that as he had aged, any quality it once had was beginning to decay.
| Height | 178 cm |
| Weight | 165 lbs |
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Dating & Relationship Status
- Marital Status: Married at the time of his death
- Spouse(s): Kristofferson was married multiple times, most notably to Lisa Meyers, Rita Coolidge, and others. At the time of his passing, he was married.
- Children: Several, including notable children in entertainment and activism
Kristofferson was known for his private family life, cherishing his retreat in Maui, Hawaii, where he spent his final years.
Henry later worked as a manager for Saudi Aramco after retiring from the service. During Kristofferson's childhood, his father encouraged him to pursue a military career.
Kristofferson moved around frequently as a youth because of his father's military service, and the family settled in San Mateo, California. He attended San Mateo High School, where he graduated in 1954. At age 17, Kristofferson took a summer job with a dredging contractor on Wake Island in the western Pacific Ocean. He called it "the hardest job I ever had".
In 1961, he married his longtime girlfriend, Frances "Fran" Mavia Beer. Also in 1961, Kristofferson joined the United States Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He attended U.S. Army Ranger School and completed helicopter pilot training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He relocated Beer and their newborn daughter to West Germany, where he served as a member of the 8th Infantry Division. During this period, Kristofferson was promoted to the rank of captain and resumed his music career, forming a band to play at service clubs. It was at this point that he met Marijohn Wilkin, the aunt of his platoon commander. In 1965, after his tour in West Germany ended, Kristofferson briefly taught English literature at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.
In June 1965, while on a two-week leave from West Point, Kristofferson contacted Wilkin in Nashville, Tennessee, and decided to become a country music songwriter. He resigned from the Army and relocated his family to Nashville that year, exacerbating his relationship with his parents. Wilkin signed Kristofferson to her publishing house Buckhorn Music and pitched his song "Talkin' Vietnam Blues" to singer Dave Dudley. Concurrently, Kristofferson held various jobs including as a bartender, a construction worker, and a railroad worker. He later worked as a janitor for Columbia Records, which afforded him the possibility of talking directly with the artists and a presence during recording sessions. He released his debut single containing his songs "Golden Idol" and "Killing Time" in 1967 on Epic Records.
Through June Carter, Kristofferson first attempted to pitch material to her husband Johnny Cash. Carter took the demos, which were eventually lost in a pile of other material Cash had received. At the time, Kristofferson worked on the weekends for the Tennessee National Guard. To attract Cash's attention, Kristofferson landed a helicopter in Cash's property. Cash eventually invited Kristofferson to a "guitar pull" party in his house. Cash was impressed and invited Kristofferson to perform with him at the 1969 Newport Folk Festival. Unsatisfied by Buckhorn Music, Kristofferson decided to change labels. Monument Records director Bob Beckham invited Kristofferson to play songs for him and label owner Fred Foster. Kristofferson performed "To Beat the Devil", "Jody and the Kid", "The Best of All Possible Worlds" and "Duvalier's Dream"; Foster was impressed and signed Kristofferson to Monument as a recording artist and Combine Music as a songwriter. The ten-year contract required Kristofferson to submit ten records containing songs he had written. Kristofferson was surprised he had been signed as a singer; he told Foster at the time: "I can't sing, I sound like a frog!" Kristofferson later said Buckhorn Music had not allowed him to record demos of his compositions.
In 1961, Kristofferson married his longtime girlfriend Frances "Fran" Mavia Beer, but they divorced in 1969. Kristofferson briefly dated Janis Joplin before her death in October 1970. His second marriage was to singer Rita Coolidge in 1973, ending in divorce in 1980. Kristofferson married Lisa Meyers in 1983.
Kristofferson and Meyers owned a home in Las Flores Canyon in Malibu, California, and they also resided in Hana, Hawaii from 1990 until his death. Kristofferson had eight children from his three marriages: two from his first marriage, one from his second marriage, and five from his marriage to his third wife.
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| Husband | Frances Beer (m. 1961-1969) Rita Coolidge (m. 1973-1980) Lisa Meyers (m. 1983) |
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Net Worth and Salary
- Net Worth (2024–2025): Estimated $50 million at the time of his death.
- Note: Some sources claim a net worth as high as $200 million, but $50 million is widely reported by reputable outlets and aligns with estate filings.
- Key Sources of Wealth:
- Songwriting Royalties: Hundreds of songs recorded by artists worldwide, including classics like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night”.
- Album Sales & Performances: Solo records and touring, with live shows into his 80s.
- Film & Television: Major roles in Hollywood, especially in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Real Estate: Valuable properties in Hawaii and California.
- Salary (Estimated Annual Earnings): Some sources suggest up to $20 million per year, but this is inconsistent with other reports and likely an overestimate. His reliable income came from royalties and property.
Career, Business, and Investments
- Music Career: Songwriter for artists across genres, successful solo artist, and member of The Highwaymen.
- Acting Career: Starred in iconic films and TV shows, earning acclaim and additional income.
- Business & Investments: Real estate holdings, particularly a ranch in Maui, Hawaii, and properties in California.
- Legacy: His music catalog continues to generate royalties, securing long-term income for his estate.
After one single for Epic Records, Kristofferson was signed by Monument Records in 1969. Throughout his career, he recorded a total of 10 albums for Monument, two albums for Mercury Records, one album each for Justice Records and Atlantic Records, and two albums each for New West Records and KK Records. In September 1971, Kristofferson made his film debut in The Last Movie and devoted much of the later decade to making Hollywood films. Some of his most famous films include Cisco Pike (1972), A Star Is Born (1976), Convoy (1978), Heaven's Gate (1980), and the Blade film trilogy (1998–2004).
Also in 1958, Kristofferson was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford in Oxford, England, studying at Merton College. While performing his own songs there, Kristofferson signed with Larry Parnes, best known for his work with Tommy Steele. Parnes was working to sell Kristofferson as "a Yank at Oxford" to the British public; Kristofferson was willing to accept that promotional approach if it helped his singing career, which he hoped would enable him to progress toward his goal of becoming a novelist. He recorded for The Rank Organisation's Top Rank Records label as Kris Carson, but this early phase was unsuccessful. In 1960, Kristofferson graduated with a B.Phil. in English literature.
While flying workers to and from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, he would often write new songs. At weekends, he returned to Nashville, and for the following week he would pitch the songs around town before returning to Louisiana. The trips exhausted Kristofferson; his children were living with Fran in California and he felt his career as a songwriter was failing. PHI also admonished him for his increased alcohol consumption. Upon returning to Nashville the same week, Kristofferson learned three of his songs had been recorded: "Jody and the Kid" by Roy Drusky, "Help Me Make It Through the Night" by Jerry Lee Lewis and "Me and Bobby McGee" by Roger Miller.
Monument released Kristofferson in June 1970. Kristofferson wrote or co-wrote every song on the album. He collaborated with Marijohn's son, John Buck Wilkin, on "Blame it on the Stones". Though Kristofferson was not a commercial success, it received positive reviews from critics. According to Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times, the album "is able to combine lyric sophistication with country music's traditional interest in everyday problems". The commercial success of "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" led to the first of several industry awards nominations for the singer. Johnny Cash's rendition of the single earned Kristofferson his first Country Music Association award for Song of the Year that November.
His fifth album, Spooky Lady's Sideshow, released in 1974, was a commercial failure, setting the trend for most of the rest of his musical career. Artists such as Ronnie Milsap and Johnny Duncan continued to record Kristofferson's material with success, but his distinctively rough voice and anti-pop sound kept his own audience to a minimum. Meanwhile, more artists took his songs to the top of the charts, including Willie Nelson, whose 1979 LP release of (Willie Nelson) Sings Kristofferson reached number five on the U.S. Country Music chart and certified Platinum in the U.S.
In spite of the success of Highwayman 2 in 1990, Kristofferson's solo recording career slipped significantly in the early 1990s, though he continued to record successfully with the Highwaymen. Lone Star (1996 film by John Sayles) reinvigorated Kristofferson's acting career, and he soon appeared in Blade, Blade II, Blade: Trinity, A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, Fire Down Below, Tim Burton's remake of Planet of the Apes, Chelsea Walls, Payback, The Jacket, and Fast Food Nation.
Social Network
- Public Presence: Kristofferson was known for his private nature, especially in later years.
- Social Media: Did not maintain active public profiles; his legacy is upheld by fans and tribute pages.
- Online Influence: His work remains widely streamed and celebrated on platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and country music forums.
On November 18, 1979, Kristofferson and Coolidge appeared on The Muppet Show, where Kristofferson sang "Help Me Make It Through the Night" with Miss Piggy, Coolidge sang "We're All Alone" with forest animals, and the pair sang "Song I'd Like to Sing" with the Muppet monsters. They divorced in 1980.
On October 21, 2005, the movie Dreamer was released, in which Kristofferson played the role of "Pop", a retired thoroughbred horse trainer. The movie was inspired by the true story of the mare Mariah's Storm which won the Turfway Breeders Cup Classic. In 2006, he received the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and released his first album full of new material in 11 years; This Old Road. Also in 2006, Kristofferson starred with Geneviève Bujold in the film Disappearances about whiskey running from Quebec to the U.S. during the Great Depression.
On May 11, 2010, Light in the Attic Records released demos that were recorded during Kristofferson's janitorial stint at Columbia. Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends: The Publishing Demos was the first time these recordings were released and included material that would later be featured on other Kristofferson recordings and on the recordings of other prominent artists, such as the original recording of "Me and Bobby McGee".
By January 2021, Kristofferson announced his retirement from performing, citing age and concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. According to manager Tamara Saviano, "It was an evolution, and it just felt very organic." Kristofferson's final performance was held in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29, 2023, where he sang a cover of "Lovin' You Was Easier" with Rosanne Cash in honor of Willie Nelson's 90th birthday; the concert was later released as Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 that December.
On September 28, 2024, Kristofferson died at his home in Hana, Hawaii, at the age of 88. He previously requested for the first three lines of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" on his tombstone: Like a bird on the wire
Education
- High School: San Mateo High School, San Mateo, California.
- College: Pomona College, Bachelor of Arts in Literature (summa cum laude), graduated 1958.
- Early Recognition: Featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” for collegiate sports achievements.
Kristofferson went to Pomona College in Claremont, California, as a literature major. He studied under Frederick Sontag, whom he considers an important influence in his life. His early writing included prize-winning essays: "The Rock" and "Gone Are the Days" were published in The Atlantic Monthly. These stories touch on the roots of Kristofferson's passions and concerns. "The Rock" is about a geographical feature resembling the form of a woman, while the latter was about a racial incident. During this time, Kristofferson worked in various construction jobs and as a firefighter. He appeared in the March 31, 1958, issue of Sports Illustrated for his achievements in collegiate rugby union, American football, and track and field. He and his classmates also revived the Claremont Colleges Rugby Club, and it remains a Southern California rugby institution. Kristofferson graduated in 1958, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in literature. He was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa society his junior year.
That February, Monument released his third album Border Lord. The album was all-new material and sales were sluggish. He also swept the Grammy Awards that year with numerous songs nominated, winning country song of the year for "Help Me Make It Through the Night". Kristofferson's fourth album, Jesus Was a Capricorn, initially had slow sales, but the third single, "Why Me", was a success and significantly increased album sales. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA on November 8, 1973. Kristofferson appeared with Rita Coolidge on the BBC television series The Old Grey Whistle Test, performing "Help Me Make It Through the Night". Al Green later released his version of "For the Good Times" on the album I'm Still in Love with You.
In April 1973, Kristofferson received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from Pomona College during Alumni Weekend, accompanied by Cash and Coolidge. Four months later, Kristofferson married Coolidge. The duo released an album titled Full Moon, another success buoyed by numerous hit singles and Grammy nominations.
* Bernhardt, Jack. (1998). "Kris Kristofferson". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 286–287.
Conclusion
Kris Kristofferson’s $50 million net worth in 2025 reflects a lifetime of artistic brilliance and smart investments. His music and acting legacy endures, with royalties and real estate ensuring his family’s financial security. His life story is a testament to creativity, resilience, and the enduring power of great art.
