Over the weekend, country star Dolly Parton took to social media to wish Kris Kristofferson a happy birthday! She posted a major throwback photo for his 83rd birthday. It is an old photo of the two arm-in-arm. “Wishing my pal Kris Kristofferson a very happy birthday!” she writes on Twitter.
Many of the fans that follow her on Twitter were quick to also wish Kris a very happy birthday. In the photo, Dolly is wearing a white blouse covered in multicolor spots and Kris is wearing a dark shirt and jacket. Many people had forgotten that the two were close friends!
Kris Kristofferson’s humble beginnings
Wishing my pal Kris Kristofferson a very happy birthday! pic.twitter.com/DioG2ogGSR
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) June 22, 2019
Kris’s legendary career in country music spans back all the way to the 1960s. He has humble beginnings, being raised in many military bases around the country because his father was an Air Force officer. Kris soon enlists in the U.S. military as well. He began pursuing music in 1965, leaving the army and moving to Nashville, TN.
It didn’t come to him right on a silver platter though. Kris would start out as a janitor at Columbia Recording Studios. Soon, he would begin to rise to fame, collaborating with people such as Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and many more.
Kris became one of the most accomplished songwriters of his generation. His songwriting repertoire includes the songs “Me and Bobby McGee”, “For the Good Times”, “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”, and “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” All of these songs were actually written for other artists!
He’s won tons of awards for his work, including the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year in 1970. He also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in 1977 for A Star is Born. Later in his life, in 2014, he won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is more than deserving!
As Kris grows older, he continues to release albums of original music. However, from 2004 to 2005 he suffered from health issues that were soon diagnosed as symptoms of Lyme Disease. After undergoing treatment (which he still continues to this day) he is doing much better!
Dolly’s cover album, Treasures, includes a rendition of one of Kris’s song’s “For the Good Times.” We are glad to see they’re still great friends after all these years!
Check out the video below of Kris Kristofferson performing live just a month ago! We’re glad to see him still going strong.