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Kris Kristofferson music biography continued...

Texas, Kristofferson moved often as a youngster because his father was in the military. The family finally settled for a while in San Mateo, California. After beginning college, Kristofferson received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, where he began writing songs. After graduating with his Masters Degree in English Literature in 1960, he joined the U.S. Army, eventually becoming a Captain and helicopter pilot. Kristofferson dropped out of the military in 1965 and moved to Nashville, intent on writing songs. Johnny Cash gave him his first break by recording his tune "Sunday Morning Coming Down," which won the Country Music Association's song of the year trophy in 1970. In1971, Janis Joplin recorded a version of the Kristofferson penned "Me and Bobby McGhee," which went to number one on the pop charts. The same year, Kristofferson released The Silver-Tongued Devil, which was considerably successful, and finally solidified his place as a singer/songwriter. Five subsequent albums, including Jesus Was a Capricorn (which included the hit "Why Me"), went gold. His recordings with then-wife Rita Coolidge won the pair two Grammy awards. In 1973, "From the Bottle to the Bottom" was named best country vocal performance by a duo or group, and "Love Please" garnered the same award in 1975, cementing Kristofferson's status as a top country talent.



After taking time out to nurture a successful film career, Kristofferson returned to recording in the mid 1980s, when he joined Johnny Cash, Willy Nelson and Waylon Jennings to form the Highwaymen. The supergroup's single, "Highwayman," was named the ACM's single of the year for 1985. He also continued to record solo albums including 1990's Third World Warrior and 1995's A Moment of Forever. In 1999, he re-recorded some of his best-known tunes for The Austin Sessions, released on Atlantic Records. He continued to record as both a solo artist and as part of the Highwaymen into the new millennium. All and all, Kristofferson has recorded 16 solo albums and eight with his band The Highwaymen. He has appeared in 64 films, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985, and was accepted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1977. Not bad for an army brat.