Kris Kristofferson

Born in Texas and raised in a military family, Kris Kristofferson, a Golden Gloves boxer, studied literature at Oxford, went on to serve in the army and turned down an assignment to teach at West Point because, inspired by songwriters like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, he moved to Nashville to pursue his music.

He achieved remarkable success as a country songwriter at the start of the 1970s and by 1987, it was estimated that more than 450 artists had recorded Kristofferson's compositions.

His renown as a songwriter triggered Kristofferson's successful career as a performer and that, in turn, brought him to the attention of Hollywood, leading to his flourishing career as a film actor. Kristofferson has acted in more than 70 films. In 1977 He won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in "A Star Is Born." He's appeared in cult favourites including the "Blade" trilogy, "Lone Star," "A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries," "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," "Blume In Love," "Cisco Pike," and "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid." Recent films include "Fast Food Nation," "Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story," "The Jacket," "Silver City," "He's Just Not That In To You," and "Dolphin Tale."

Heralded as an artist's artist, Kris Kristofferson has recorded 30 albums, including three with pals Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings as part of the Highwaymen. He has spent three decades performing concerts all over the world, in most recent years in a solo acoustic setting, which puts the focus on the songs. Many would have hung their hat by now. Instead, Kristofferson barely has paused for breath. He's released several recent high watermarks including the increasingly intimate A Moment of Forever (1995), The Austin Sessions (1999) and This Old Road (2006), and he produced some of his finest work with the deeply personal Closer to the Bone (2009) and Feeling Mortal (2013). Kristofferson has reached living legend status, but that hasn't changed or hindered his creativity. His current CD, The Cedar Creek Sessions, was recorded live at Austin's Cedar Creek Recording Studio in June 2014. Released in time for Kristofferson's 80th birthday in 2016, the double-CD set is a snapshot of the legendary songwriter in the twilight of his life.

In addition to many other awards, Kristofferson is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, winner of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriter Hall of Fame, and was honoured with the American Veteran's Association's "Veteran of the Year Award" in 2002. In 2007, Kristofferson was honoured with the Johnny Cash Visionary Award from Country Music Television and in 2009 BMI lauded Kristofferson with the Icon Award. He received the Frances Preston Music Industry Award from the T.J. Martell Foundation in March, 2012. In 2014, Kristofferson was honoured with a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and the PEN Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award.