Kris Kristofferson was one of a kind. In the wake of the country legend’s death on September 28, 2024, at the age of 88, folks are sharing some of their favorite stories about the singer, songwriter, actor, and Rhodes scholar.
The folks over at Wide Open Country pointed out one of the greatest stories ever about the star. One that is well worth repeating even if Kristofferson claimed it got overblown with time, as all the greatest Southern stories tend to do.
Kristofferson was an Oxford- (England, not Mississippi) educated songwriter who was desperate to break into Nashville. He had done a stint in the U.S. Army and knew how to fly helicopters. He used that skill to earn some cash by flying to off-shore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, it was on one of those oil rigs off the coast of Louisiana that he wrote one of his most famous tunes, “Me and Bobby McGee”.
That same Army-earned skill also helped give him his big break. Eager to get into the country music scene, Kristofferson made a bold decision to take a big shot. He took a helicopter and landed it on Johnny Cash’s lawn. He reportedly strutted out of the pilot’s seat with a demo cassette in one hand, and, at least according to Cash, a beer in the other.
According to ABC News, Kristofferson admitted to the stunt, but claimed there was one problem with his grand gesture—Cash wasn’t home at the time. He also swore there was no way he could fly a helicopter holding a beer, despite Cash’s claims to the contrary.
Still, the stunt understandably caught the Man in Black’s attention. The demo tape Kristofferson left behind reportedly included the song “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”. That tune not only garnered the interest of Cash, but eventually went on to the No. 1 spot on the charts and won the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year.
Kristofferson frequently credited Cash with giving him a start in Nashville, but it’s hard to be ignored when you’re landing a helicopter on someone’s lawn!
Cash and Kristofferson famously worked together along with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson in The Highwaymen. Their first album, Highwayman, hit No. 1 on the country charts.
