Kris Kristofferson is much more than a singer and actor. The man has achieved more than most could ever say in a lifetime. His father was a military man who pushed him to pursue that as well. Kris was a Golden Globe boxer who went to Pomona College in California. From there he earned a Rhodes scholarship to study literature at Oxford University.
He ended up joining the U.S. Army and achieved the position of Captain. He became a helicopter pilot and began pursuing songwriting. He got a job as a teacher at West Point and ended up getting a job sweeping floors at Nashville studios to get his songs heard.
He met Johnny Cash who took some interest for songs, but ultimately ignored them. Kris was working as a commercial helicopter pilot and took the initiative to get Cash’s attention and landed his helicopter in Cash’s yard. He gave him some more of his songs and Cash sang Kris’s song “Sunday Morning Coming Down” which won song of the year in 1970 by the Country Music Association. Kris then began his solo career as a musician and later began acting.