The Very Different Paths Of Kris Kristofferson's 8 Kids

Kris Kristofferson was a renowned country singer known for hits such as "Why Me" and "Me and Bobby McGee." The 2004 Hall of Fame inductee built an illustrious career that ensured he "never had to go back to work again," as he told Esquire. While he topped the charts, his eventful personal life also made headlines; Kris was married three times, though two of his unions failed. First to his high school sweetheart, Fran Beer; then to two-time Grammy Award winner Rita Coolidge; and finally to Lisa Meyers, with whom he remained until his death.

Kris had eight children whom he adored. "Love to me is the only answer to what's going on with the world," the singer told Rolling Stone. "The kind that you feel unconditionally for your children." The country singer's children each followed a different path. Some of them are a chip off the old block and pursued music careers, while others discovered a passion for acting.

As the likes of Johnny Kristofferson, whom he had with Meyers, established a career in the legal profession, others, like Jody Kristofferson, made a name for themselves under the bright lights of the wrestling ring. While some of Kris' children have no problem living in the public eye, others have retreated to quieter paths, completely keeping their personal and professional lives private. Here's all there is to know about them.

Tracy Kristofferson was born to Kris Kristofferson Sr. and his first wife, Fran Beer, in 1962. His marriage to Beer had its own set of hardships, since it was before Kris had his career breakthrough. As such, Kristofferson Sr. was not actively involved in the lives of Tracy and Kris Kristofferson Jr., her biological sibling. "The one thing I regret is missing the time with my older children when they were young," Kristofferson Sr. told Esquire.

Kris had a long list of acting credits in films such as "The Red Maple Leaf" and "Lawless Range," and if Tracy's brief acting career is any indication, she is cut from the same cloth. Tracy attended Stanford University in the early '80s and, a few years after a motorcycle accident that made headlines, landed a role in the Alan Rudolph-directed movie, "Trouble in Mind." Tracy also featured in the 1990 film "Perfume of the Cyclone" alongside Kristofferson Sr., who starred as Stan Wozniak. Her last known acting role was in the 1995 movie "A Place to Grow," where she portrayed Cheryl Shuler.

Tracy seemed to be interested in working behind the scenes, as she landed a job as an associate producer on the 1995 release "Pharaoh's Army." The film is set on the American Civil War and tells the story of a Union Army captain that leads his troop to a farm to seize Confederate livestock. On a personal level, Tracy was married to actor Richard Tyson, who is best known for playing Joe "Kaz'" Kaczierowski on the late '80s television series "Hardball." 

Kris Kristofferson Sr. and Fran Beer welcomed their second child, Kris Kristofferson Jr., in 1968, shortly before their separation. "We had already decided to break up but said we'd stay together until the child was born," the "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" singer told the Irish Independent. Kristofferson Jr. had a birth defect, as his famous father disclosed in his chat with Rolling Stone: "He was born with his esophagus and trachea attached." Kristofferson Sr. added that the medical bill, which was around $10,000, couldn't have come at a worse time because he was earning only $200 per month working as a janitor at a record label.

The father-son duo never had a great relationship when Kristofferson Jr. was young — though they obviously kept in touch, as Kristofferson Jr. appeared in a 1981 family photo with his father and two siblings — but would eventually patch things up. "We are very close now," the "City of New Orleans" song sensation disclosed in his interview with Esquire. Kristofferson Jr. appeared to have no issues with his father's high-profile life, as he attended the 1990 Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Concert Party alongside his family. Kristofferson Jr. ultimately chose to steer clear of the limelight. This was not an unusual choice, as many celebrity children — such as Caitlyn Jenner's oldest daughter — have also opted to live away from the spotlight.

Following the end of Kris Kristofferson's marriage to Fran Beer, he married "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love" singer Rita Coolidge. The pair welcomed their only child, a daughter named Casey Kristofferson, in 1974. Casey's upbringing was different from that of her half-siblings; she spent a lot of time on the road with her touring parents and also got the best of Kris' parenting. "I was able to give her the attention that – because of the stage of my life I was at with Fran – I hadn't been able to give my other daughter and son," Kris recalled in his interview with the Irish Independent.

Casey eventually grew up to pursue a career in entertainment. She took an interest in ballet and even owned a dance school at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. The years she spent on the road paid off since she also embarked on a musical career. She founded the Casey Kristofferson Band, which released its debut album, "Dirty Feet," in 2019. The body of work features tracks such as "Quit Drinking Less" and "Feeling More Like Myself." A calculating artist, Casey unveiled the album at Merlefest on April 26, 2019, an event that draws thousands of attendees.

Casey worked with multiple songwriters to bring her vision to life. And when it came to selecting her collaborators, she was just as thorough. "Choosing musicians is always based on a few things: personality, professionalism, talent, and no drama," she told Asheville Movies. "That's a hard combination to find sometimes in bands — we are so lucky to have such a great group! We really have the best chemistry ever." There's no doubt that Casey is yet another celebrity nepotism baby who actually deserves the fame.

Kris Kristofferson's marriage to Rita Coolidge eventually came to an end in 1980, and the country singer married attorney Lisa Meyers three years later. That same year (1983), the pair welcomed their first child, a son named Jesse Kristofferson. Kris owed the improved relationship with his first two children to his children with Meyers. They are "as close as you could be" and even brought him "back into contact" with Tracy Kristofferson and Kris Kristofferson Jr., as Kris told the Irish Independent.

Like his father, Jesse pursued acting for a while. His first appearance was in the 2001 movie "Planet of the Apes," in which his father, Kris, portrayed Karubi. Jesse would go on to appear in episodes of various television shows, including "Men of a Certain Age," "Melrose Place," and "Gigantic." He even worked behind the scenes as a stand-in — an uncredited actor who mimics the principal actor before the actual shoot — in the 2009 film "Circle of Eight." Jesse's last known role was Jeffrey in the "Range Junkies," a film that was nominated at the Austin Film Festival in 2013.

The representation of LGBTQ relationships in the history of American television has been slow yet steady. Nowadays, queer stories are common — at the time of writing, the popular Netflix show "Bridgerton" is set to explore a lesbian romance in its fifth season — but the first same-sex kiss did not appear on TV until 1991. The public response at the time was negative; although NBC's "L.A Law" had set a precedent for more groundbreaking coverage, some advertisers withdrew from the network. While some actors have refused to share a same-sex kiss on-screen, in 2000 "Dawson's Creek" challenged the norm by airing the first passionate kiss between two men.

This explains why Jesse Kristofferson's character, Neil Hultgren, sharing an on-screen kiss with Will Horton (Chandler Massey) on "Days of Our Lives" was memorable. Horton had questions about his sexuality that had remained unanswered until the moment he connected with Hultgren at a party. According to Massey, the scene was inconsistent with Horton's character, who had a bit too much to drink. "After living with self-loathing and disgust over not being able to accept himself, compounded by everything else that is going on in Will's life, he's tightly wound," Massey told Soap Opera Digest (via Radar Online). "Will allows himself to do something he wouldn't normally do in a sober situation." Jesse only appeared on five episodes of the popular soapie, but his legacy as part of the first gay kiss on "Days of Our Lives" lives forever.

Kris Kristofferson and Lisa Meyers had their second son, Jody Kristofferson, in May 1985. Jody veered from the family's traditional path and chose a different kind of entertainment: wrestling. He worked with several promotions, including All Pro Wrestling, FCW, Sacramento Wrestling Federation, Vendetta Pro Wrestling, North American Wrestling, and WWE. The last one was his favorite, as he told "The Roman Show." "That was my dream to work for the WWE," Jody said.

During the course of his career, Jody went by various monikers, such as Garrett Dylan, Captain Comic, War Pig, and Jody Reese. Of course, he bagged several titles before his retirement in 2019. Jody was a two-time All Pro Wrestling Universal Heavyweight Champion, a one-time Supreme Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion, and a Warriors Way Tournament winner.

He also formed great relationships with other wrestlers, including the late WWE champion Bray Wyatt and "Underground Icon" Dave Dutra, who eulogized Kris after his passing. Dutra gave insight into how much Kris valued Jody's wrestling career, writing in part (via X), "Kris would attend Jody's matches any time he could when not on tour (which if you knew Kris, you knew he always toured, even into his 80's). He loved watching the matches and he just adored his son and his ambition."

Kris Kristofferson and Lisa Meyers' son, Johnny Kristofferson, was born in 1988. Like his mother, Johnny developed an interest in the legal profession (he joins the long list of celebrity children, like Tom Sellek's daughter, Hannah, who work normal jobs). He attended Pepperdine University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree, a Juris Doctor degree, and a Master of Laws degree. He started his career as a labor attorney at Adams, Ferrone, and Ferrone PLC, a firm based in Westlake Village. In 2020, Johnny had a short stint as a civil rights investigator with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, where he handled housing-related civil rights violations.

Johnny also worked as the Chief Labor Negotiator for the Northwest Chapter of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, while also serving as a labor attorney and operations professional. He would later become a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, as well as a trained arbitrator. At the time of writing, he works as an associate director at EXTTI, a professional services firm based in California.

Johnny's expertise has not only benefited the public but also his family. When his father, Kris, retired back in 2020, he left his estate in the hands of several professionals, including his longtime publicist Tamara Saviano. Johnny was tasked with overseeing the entire family business. "The name has always been synonymous with songwriting as an art, and we're excited to reintroduce his work to new and old fans alike," he told the press when they later made the announcement (via The Tennessean). "We have many exciting projects in the works and I look forward to getting them out into the world."

Kris Kristofferson and Lisa Meyers' fourth child, Kelly Kristofferson, was born in 1990. Kelly was an apple that didn't fall so far from the music tree; she shared the stage with Kris multiple times from a young age. The pair performed numerous songs together, including "Between Heaven and Here," "The Hero," and "The Prisoner." Kris valued their relationship so much that he even set aside dedicated timeslots for performing together. During a 20-date tour in Australia, for instance, the country singer divided his set into two parts, including a five-song duet segment with Kelly.

The feeling was mutual, as Kelly was part of the 2013 album released in honor of Kris, "A Rockin' Tribute To Kris Kristofferson." Kris also had a good working relationship with some of Kelly's romantic partners. In March 2016, Kelly and her then-boyfriend, Sammy Hagar, performed alongside Kris at Cabo Wabo. The pair's vision of performing together started out playfully, until Kelly's mom, Lisa, stepped in. "We had been joking a little bit about starting a band," Hagar told On Stage. "Lisa and Kris, her parents, heard us joking about it and decided to book us as an opening act."

Hagar explained that they only had about three weeks to come up with a good performance. He played an acoustic guitar while Kelly worked the strings on a ukulele. As expected, singing and playing instuments aren't Kelly's only talents. Like her siblings, she tried her hand at acting. In 2016, she played the role of Claire in Timothy Woodward Jr.'s movie "Traded." Per usual, her father, Kris, who never missed the chance to include his family in his projects, starred in the film.

Kelly Kristofferson is a well-rounded creative, and she adds sewing to her string of skills. In 2021, she launched a blog dubbed The Sunflower Apron. An excited Kelly shared the news with her followers on Instagram, writing in part, "Join me on my journey as I learn about sewing (and myself)." Kelly also shared some of her childhood memories with her audience, as her father Kris explained in a 2022 Facebook post. While promoting her blog in an Instagram post shared in August 2021, Kelly revealed that she explored "preconceived notions" she had about sewing, such as the assumption that it is "dull."

In October 2022, Kelly posted a beautiful selfie of herself honoring "the apron that started it all" (via Instagram); the gorgeous white apron featured sunflower art in black, a testament to her artistic eye. As expected, Kelly isn't the only artist in her household. She is married to visual artist Aydin Hamami, whose work intricately incorporates sewn cloth and canvas. As the couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in February 2022, Kelly took to Instagram to post a heartfelt message, writing in part, "I don't know, but I enjoy you and I love you @aydinhamami my clown, healer, and wise man."

Blake Kristofferson, the last of Kris Kristofferson and Lisa Meyers' children, arrived in 1994. He was named after the English poet William Blake, whom Kris studied extensively while he was a student at Oxford University. In fact, William inspired some of Kris' songs, such as the 1970 release "Casey's Last Ride." Growing up, Blake was not exempt from his father's celebrity lifestyle. In 1999, he attended the taping of the television special "An All-Star Tribute Honoring Johnny Cash" alongside Kris at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.

Like his siblings, Blake attended Pepperdine University from 2012 to 2016. However, he chose to live a life away from the spotlight. Overall, the relationship between Kris and his family was summed up in a 2014 interview with Esquire: "Lisa and I have been married for thirty-three years, the people who are my heroes ended up being my friends, and I've got eight children who love me. I don't know how much more I could want."