Kris Kristofferson

format_quote "Never give up, which is the lesson I learned from boxing. As soon as you learn to never give up, you have to learn the power and wisdom of unconditional surrender, and that one doesn't cancel out the other; they just exist as contradictions. The wisdom of it comes as you get older." - Kris Kristofferson

stars  He wrote the song "Me and Bobbie (later Bobby) McGee" which Janis Joplin recorded. The song was a hit for Roger Miller in 1969, who started recording it even before Kristofferson was done writing it.

stars  1970: Won the coveted Country Music Song of the Year Award for his song, "Sunday Morning Coming Down", as well as the Country Music Songwriter of the Year Award.

stars  He got the leading male role of "A Star is Born" (1976) after Elvis Presley couldn't do it. Elvis has also recorded a song written by Kristofferson.

stars  A young Kris Kristofferson can be seen on one of of his album covers in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976).

stars  Father of Tracy Kristofferson and Kris Kristofferson (b. 1968) with Frances Beir. Casey Kristofferson (b. 1974) with Rita Coolidge. Jesse Turner Kristofferson (b. 1984), Jody Ray Kristofferson (b. 1985), Johnny Kristofferson (b. 1988), Kelly Marie Kristofferson (b. 1991) and Blake Cameron Kristofferson (b. 1994) with Lisa Meyers.