Kris Kristofferson , one of the few remaining original country music outlaws known for songs like "Sunday Morning Coming Down" and "Me and Bobby McGee" passed away last weekend at his home in Maui, Hawaii. He was 88 years old. He's survived by his wife, Lisa; eight children, and seven grandchildren, who provided the following statement:
" It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28 at home. We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all." https://www.instagram.com/p/DAhIcUOuirc/ Losing anyone is tough but losing one of the few artists left who formed the bedrock of country music as we know it is absolutely devastating. We send our thoughts and prayers to the Kristofferson family; I hope they can find some peace. While Kris was incredibly close to his immediate family through his final days, his relationship with his own parents is a very different story. Kris was born in 1936 to a military family in Brownsville, Texas but moved frequently due of his father’s job. They eventually settled in San Mateo, California, where Kris would graduate from high school and begin writing. He wound up getting a few acclaimed pieces published and enrolled at Pomona College, where he would earn a Bachelor of Arts in Literature. To say he shined at Pomona would be an understatement. He earned letters in football, rugby, and track and field, while graduating
summa cum laude. He parlayed that success by becoming a Rhodes Scholar, a highly prestigious award that gave him a scholarship to go study at Oxford. While across the pond, he became a star boxer (earning the highest possible “Blue” mark), played rugby, and began writing songs. He graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor’s of Philosophy in English Literature degree. He also first began recording music while at Oxford, though he was unsuccessful, so he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the military, which had been strongly encouraged since he was a young child. His father had become a major-general and served in WWII and Korea, more or less making service to the country the family business. Again, in this new environment, Kris excelled. He enlisted in the Army and eventually attained the rank of captain, passed Ranger School, and became a helicopter pilot. No doubt he was set up for a long and successful career in the Army, but another opportunity presented itself that few on Earth would dream of turning down. Kris was offered a teaching position at West Point, the iconic officer school. If only logic was to be followed, Kris would have accepted the position and reached a place early in life that few could even dream of getting too, with honors and benefits and a cushy salary. But there was just one problem… His dream of playing music for a living that started in him so young had never left his mind; while stationed in West Germany he’d even formed a band and continued writing songs. Passion overwhelmed the promise of a squared away future and he made the fateful decision to turn down the West Point position, leave the military, and move to Nashville. Hindsight is 20/20 so it’s easy for us to say “Wow, what a great choice that turned out to be” but those around him at the time, especially his parents, were less than pleased. In fact, his parents were so upset that they disowned him and didn’t speak with him for decades. His mother was especially disappointed. Kris recalling to
Rolling Stone that she told him:
“She said that I was an embarrassment to the family. I’ve given them moments of pride, when I got my Rhodes scholarship, but she said, they’ll never measure up to the tremendous disappointment you’ve always been.” I mean, that is downright harsh, especially from your mother. Always been a tremendous disappointment? The guy already had done so much in his life but him finally doing one thing that he truly wanted to do was the breaking point? That had to be a rough house to grow up in… He also spoke with
Salon back in 1999 about this, saying his mother finally came around after not speaking with him for over 20 years:
“… before she died she was coming backstage and hugging Johnny Cash and things like that. She definitely got used to the fact that I was who I was. But while I was unsuccessful I was disowned. I was told, ‘Don’t visit any of our relatives. You’re a disgrace to us.” The reporter asked if it was his success that made the family change their minds, and he said:
“Probably to my father. My father told me that he would never understand me, but he understood that I had to do what I had to do, because nobody could have stopped him from being a pilot because he loved flying. He was glad I had the guts to stand up for what I wanted to do. He was a hard person to please. I doubt that if I hadn’t been successful there would have been any reconciliation. But hell, by the time my mother died, she was calling up radio station and giving them hell if they didn’t play my songs. Being disowned was a real blessing at the time. I had a lot of guilt on my shoulders for not living up to what everybody expected me to be. For not being Bill Bradley — being responsible, going into government, being a senator. And when my mother reacted so strongly to me it was very liberating.” Leave it to the most interesting man in country music to find the silver lining. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have your parents completely disown you for following a dream. Sure, them trying to talk you out of it or thinking it’s crazy or wanting you to be secure all comes from a place of love and is to rightfully be expected. But straight up dropping you on the curb? That’s just awful. Fortunately, all is well that ends well and even this big split was able to at least be partially reconciled for Kristofferson. Rest in peace, Kris Kristofferson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbqGWTxwZEA
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