Country music icon Kris Kristofferson has created a musical odyssey spanning more than five decades and etched his name into the annals of music history. In addition to being recognized for his captivating lyrics and magnetic performances, Kristofferson’s influence extends to acting and his pivotal role in The Highwaymen, a supergroup that left an indelible mark on the genre. However, the symphony of his life is not only a harmonious melody but also a narrative interwoven with unexpected health challenges.
Originally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Kris Kristofferson’s health saga has taken a surprising turn, revealing Lyme disease as the real culprit. This revelation at the age of 86 sheds light on the complexities of medical diagnoses and highlights the importance of accurate assessment and tailored treatment. Kristofferson’s resilience not only on stage but also in the face of medical adversity paints a portrait of a true survivor.
Additionally, he acknowledges his mortality despite his fame and wants the first three lines of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on a Wire” to be written on his tombstone.
From the first note of Kris Kristofferson’s vocals, the world knew a star was born. With his sky-blue eyes, white hair, and well-manicured beard, he has been a fan favorite since his career began some 55 years ago.
He says it wasn’t planned to grow a beard. “The whole time I was in the hospital for a week I didn’t shave because of the pneumonia,” Kristofferson revealed to the Guardian.
“When I first came out, a magazine took a picture of me and called me ‘the new face of country music.’ Since then, Willie has maintained a crazy appearance.”
One of the truly great wordsmiths of our time, Kris Kristofferson, exudes a certain sense that if you don’t catch, you probably never will.
After graduating from Oxford in 1960, he enlisted in the Army and then worked as a commercial pilot for Louisiana-based Petroleum Helicopters International. In his spare time, he sat on an oil rig and wrote blockbusters like “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and “Bobby McGee.”
The teenage musician took the opportunity to gain attention; He met Johnny Cash while working as a janitor at a recording studio.
“I ran into him, along with a lot of others at the same time,” Cash recalled of Kristofferson during a previous interview. “So I got a lot of Kris’ songs, but one day he got so impatient that he landed in my yard with a helicopter and brought me a tape of ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down.’ When I heard the song, I put it on the TV show and talked about Kris. After that, he was on the road and stole my show at the Newport Folk Festival where he played amazingly well.
I thought he was good.”
Nothing could compare to the heights Kristofferson’s career reached.
Everyone from Johnny Cash to Janis Joplin to Bob Dylan has covered his classics, including “For the Good Times” and “Why Me Lord,” all of whom he considers heroes.
Together with Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson, he formed the supergroup The Highwaymen in 1985. The title track of their debut album won the Academy of Country Music Single of the Year.
“Every time I stood on stage, at some point during the show, I had to pinch myself to realize that I was really up there on stage.
“Every one of those guys was a hero of mine before I even knew them,” Kristofferson recalled, going on to volunteer to take care of Waylon one Saturday during a demo at Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville. “I’ve never heard of anyone like him. Because Johnny Cash was always larger than life, despite the fact that he was human. He was constantly recalling the Mount Rushmore scene.”
His hero is Bob Dylan, who also made records in the same studio that Kristofferson cleaned.
“Every time I stood on stage, at some point during the show, I had to pinch myself to realize that I was really up there on stage.
“Every one of those guys was a hero of mine before I even knew them,” Kristofferson recalled, going on to volunteer to take care of Waylon one Saturday during a demo at Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville. “I’ve never heard of anyone like him. Because Johnny Cash was always larger than life, despite the fact that he was human. He was constantly recalling the Mount Rushmore scene.”
His hero is Bob Dylan, who also made records in the same studio that Kristofferson cleaned.
When the “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” singer first met Dylan, he said, “It was a real eye-opener to see him work.” At that moment I was really afraid of him. But I was silent towards him. I wanted to avoid bothering him. I just watched him empty the bins.’
Kristofferson continues, “He’s still a hero.” He has performed many of Dylan’s songs since becoming a star.
“Every artist who has done my songs has done them better than me.” “I think it was because of our relationship that Janis sang ‘Me and Bobby McGee,'” he said, referring to the singer who was once his girlfriend and died in 1970. “She passed away not long after I met her. However, we were getting close. Unfortunately, when I first heard her rendition, she had recently passed away. Regarding the woman whose 1971 posthumous rendition of “Me and Bobby McGee” topped the charts for many weeks, he recalled, “And that blew me away.”
The father of eight children from three marriages (singer Rita Coolidge, Fran Beer, and his current wife Lisa Meyers), Kristofferson has dated a number of famous people such as Samantha Eggar, Cara Simon, and Jane Fonda.
Despite their obvious chemistry in A Star Is Born (1976), Kristofferson and Barbara Streisand never developed a romantic relationship. In the film, Kristofferson portrayed a rock star; he claimed to have drawn inspiration from Streisand, whose persona was that of an aspiring singer. He said afterward, “I was scared to death of her,” but it’s amazing to work with someone so talented.
The end of the nineties marked a dramatic decline in his health.
Kristofferson was in good health until 1999 when he had successful heart bypass surgery.
In 2004, he began to show a series of unpleasant symptoms and doctors discovered that he had Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, fibromyalgia was identified, which should have been the first indication that a test for Lyme disease was required.
Kris was in excruciating pain from acute spasms radiating through his legs and back. His nerve endings caused excruciating contractions the size of golf balls due to the severity of his spasms.
Therapies used to treat his condition included massage, thermal therapy, and acupuncture. Finally, a prescription was written for a low-dose antidepressant, and a rheumatologist administered a spinal cortisone injection to ease the lingering pain.
“He had painful knees and annual knee shots, a pacemaker for arrhythmias — which we now know could be Lyme disease — and so much Advil for headaches that he became anemic,” said his wife of 40 years, Lisa Meyers.
“After a year of iron supplements and hematologist visits, he just didn’t look healthy.”
In 2016, her husband was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease after she insisted he see an integrative doctor.
While filming Disappearance (2006), where he spent a lot of time crawling through the grassy grounds of a Vermont forest, Meyers claims he was bitten by an infected tick.
Meyers said of the antidepressant and Alzheimer’s drug, “He was taking all these medications for things he shouldn’t have, and they all have side effects.” After three weeks of treatment for Lyme disease, Kristofferson made a full recovery, according to Meyers. “He came out of nowhere. “Some days he’s completely normal and it’s easy to forget he’s struggling with anything,” she said.
However, Kristofferson wishes to have the following engraved on his tombstone when the time comes: “Like a bird on a wire, like a drunkard in a midnight choir, I tried to be free.”
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In the field of country music, Kris Kristofferson’s journey has been extraordinary and full of unexpected twists and turns. Initially misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease, Kristofferson’s health problems took an unexpected turn when Lyme disease was identified as the real culprit. At the age of 86, he testifies to the importance of accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
From his iconic career in music, co-founding The Highwaymen with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson to his roles in film, Kristofferson’s influence has left an indelible mark. Out of the limelight, he faced personal problems, including health issues that were initially misunderstood.
As Kristofferson accepts his mortality, he wishes to immortalize on his tombstone Leonard Cohen’s poignant lyrics that reflect the introspection and depth that characterize his legacy. Kristofferson’s resilience, combined with the unwavering support of his wife Lisa Meyers, offers a profound story of overcoming medical adversity and continuing to fly like a “bird on a wire.”
The curtains have yet to be drawn on this narrative, and the enduring spirit of Kris Kristofferson remains an inspiration, reminding us that the final act of a remarkable life is yet to be played.