Was Kris Kristofferson a Rhodes Scholar? From Army Ranger to star athlete, country star's credentials beyond music explored 

Musician Kris Kristofferson passed away at the age of 88 on Saturday, September 28. His family confirmed the news of his passing the following day. The singer was not only a legend in the entertainment industry but was also a Rhodes scholar.

His family released a statement revealing that Kris Kristofferson had “passed away peacefully” at his residence. They stated that they were “blessed for our time with him.” The statement that was signed off by his wife, Lisa, his eight children, and seven grandchildren also read:

“Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”

Along with being an acclaimed singer-songwriter who topped U.S. Country Charts with songs like Help Me Make It Through the Night, Kris Kristofferson had also established a respectable acting career by taking part in projects like The Last Movie, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and Alice Doesn’t Live Here, among others.

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U.S. Army Veteran Kris Kristofferson was also a Rhodes scholar

The Rhodes Scholarship, which is managed by the Rhodes Trust, a British charity, was established to offer students who gain admission at Oxford University a deduction in tuition and other fees for at least two years, to study at the prestigious institution.

The Army brat, who was a Golden Gloves boxer with top grades at California’s Pomona College, earned the aforementioned scholarship to study literature at the London institution’s Merton College, where he continued boxing.

Speaking about how monumental attaining the scholarship is, Doug Cutchins, the director of global awards at New York University Abu Dhabi, said in a statement to U.S. News that being a Rhode Scholar would mean the “honor” being mentioned in every introduction for the rest of their lives. He also said that it would be “mentioned in their obituary decades from now.”

The Association of American Rhodes Scholars published an article about Kris Kristofferson’s life that shared significant moments of his life post-his education at Oxford. They revealed:

“Before he graduated, he joined the U.S. Army, became a helicopter pilot and rose to the rank of captain. He volunteered to fight in Vietnam, but the Army assigned him to teach English at West Point. Kristofferson resigned his commission. He traded in a military career to try making it as singer/ songwriter in music city.”

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Exploring Kris Kristofferson’s commendable career as the Texas-born passes away

Following his stint with the U.S. Army, he moved to Nashville, where he worked odd part-time jobs, including being a bartender and a janitor at the Columbia Recording Studios, to launch his music career.

In the late 1960s, he ended up writing for singers like Jerry Lee Lewis, Faron Young, Billy Walker, and Ray Stevens, among others.

In 1970, he went on to record his first studio album and also his hit track Me and Bobby McGee, which went on to become a hit single. Some of his other popular albums included Jesus Was a Capricon, Border Lord, This Old Road, and Repossessed, among others.

Some movies he was a part of also include Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, A Solider’s Daughter Never Cries, Knights, Welcome Home, and A Star is Born— where starred alongside Barbra Streisand— among others. Streisand took to Instagram to pay tribute to him, and recalled working with him as well. Streisand said:

“In the movie, Kris and I sang the song I’d written for the film’s main love theme, “Evergreen.” … He was as charming as ever, and the audience showered him with applause. It was a joy seeing him receive the recognition and love he so richly deserved.”

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Kris Kristofferson retired from the music and acting industry in 2021, with his last film being Blaze in 2018 and his last album, The Cedar Creek Sessions, being released in 2016.