Who is Rita Coolidge? Meet Kris Kristofferson’s ex-wife who became a songwriter for artists like Eric Clapton and the Carpenters

In the wake of Kris Kristofferson’s death on Saturday at the age of 88, Ny Breaking.com takes a closer look at the actor-musician’s ex-wife, Rita Coolidge.

Kristofferson’s family confirmed this People that Kristofferson “passed away peacefully” on Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii, amid a series of health problems in his later years.

Coolidge, 79, and Kristofferson were married from 1973 and 1980. They initially crossed paths during a flight to Memphis in 1971 at a Los Angeles-area airport, with Coolidge recounting People in 2016 that she likes to say it was “love on first flight” as they “literally talked all the way to Memphis.”

Coolidge said she and Kristofferson – who exchanged vows on August 17, 1973 – had promised to get married and picked out a name for a baby in the first few hours of knowing each other.

She added, “Kris and I have a connection and we laugh about things that no one else understands. We just have a bond that transcends all understanding.”

Coolidge, pictured in London in 2018, has been a singer-songwriter all her life

Professional and personal lives are intertwined

Coolidge and Kristofferson subsequently released a trio of critically acclaimed records: 1973’s Full Moon, 1974’s Breakaway and 1978’s Natural Act.

The duo shared a pair of Grammys for their collaborations: in 1974, for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for From the Bottle to the Bottom; and in 1976, in the same category for Lover Please.

They were also nominated in the Loving Arms category in 1975.

Children

In 1974, the couple welcomed their daughter Casey Kristofferson, a musical artist.

Speak with Asheville Movies in 2009, Casey said she was doing her utmost to avoid claims of nepotism.

“After growing up on the road, I always avoided the spotlight,” Casey said. ‘I was more attracted to the punk rock scene, classical ballet and music. Almost anything to not be recognized just because of my name.

Rita said in her 2016 book Delta Lady: A Memoir that she tragically suffered a miscarriage in 1977.

Coolidge was pictured at an event at The Music Center on January 14, 2023 in LA

Coolidge and Kristofferson were married from 1973 and 1980. They initially crossed paths during a flight to Memphis in 1971 at a Los Angeles-area airport. Pictured in Canada in 1972

The duo shared a pair of Grammys for their collaborations: in 1974, for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for From the Bottle to the Bottom; and in 1976, in the same category for Lover Please

Relationship problems

Coolidge said in her memoir that Kristofferson’s cheating and drinking took a toll on their marriage.

The two appeared to be on positive terms in later years, when she described him as “a great guy” and “a national treasure” in a 2019 interview. MichaelCavacini.com

Coolidge added, “Kris is a great man. He is an extraordinary songwriter. He is a good friend of mine and the father of my daughter, so I have only positive things to say about Kris.”

Describing their marriage as “volatile,” she added: “It’s all in the book, and it’s one of the reasons I wrote my book. Not to tell about Kris, but to share my experience with him.’

In her book, she noted some of the professional problems they encountered during their marital union, as he ventured more into acting endeavors than musical ones.

‘When Kris and I did concerts, he had no hit records. I did. We were equal in our work and in our relationship,” she said. ‘I was an artist.

“I made an album every year or two and I think that’s what he wanted more than anything, but the movies kept coming to him and he made the choice.”

She said of the turmoil in their marriage: “He might feel like I was mistreating him. I don’t think I was. It wasn’t all the time. It was just enough that I cried every day, and that’s not a good way to live. When we divorced, I didn’t ask anything of him.’

Coolidge and Kristofferson – pictured in 1973 – went on to release a trio of critically acclaimed records: 1973’s Full Moon, 1974’s Breakaway and 1978’s Natural Act.

Coolidge said in her memoir that Kristofferson’s cheating and drinking took a toll on their marriage. Pictured towards the end of their wedding in 1979 in New York

The couple has remained cordial with each other, as they looked cozy in 1986, six years after their divorce.

Other great efforts

Coolidge released a number of critically acclaimed albums both during and after her relationship with Kristofferson with singles such as 1977’s We’re All Alone and Higher And Higher; and 1983’s All Time High from the Octopussy soundtrack.

She also formed the musical ensemble Walela with sister Priscilla Coolidge and niece Laura Satterfield, and at one point appeared onstage opposite the late Robbie Robertson at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Background

Coolidge was born on May 1, 1945 in Lafayette, Tennessee to father Dick Coolidge, a minister, and mother Charlotte, a schoolteacher. Her siblings were sisters Linda and Priscilla, with whom she sang, and brother Raymond.

As she progressed in her musical career, she was in the folk group RC And The Moonpies and worked at a studio in Memphis called Pepper Sound.

As a singer, she collaborated with artists such as Eric Clapton and Stephen Stills, while touring with late icons such as Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker and George Harrison.

Coolidge, who released her debut album Turn Around And Love You in 1969, also had a notable career as a songwriter, working with artists such as Clapton and the Carpenters.

“It’s all about the journey,” she said in her 2016 book. “Sometimes the path is surrounded by rainbows, and sometimes it’s hidden in mud. I’m still here and I still have a lot of gratitude for the whole process of being able to make music.’

Coolidge also had a notable career as a songwriter, working with artists such as Clapton and the Carpenters. Pictured in 2019 in New Orleans

Rita talked about her career and life in her 2016 book Delta Lady: A Memoir. Pictured in 2016 in La Jolla, California

Coolidge – pictured in 2018 in LA – said in her 2016 book: ‘It’s all about the journey. Sometimes the path is lined with rainbows, and sometimes it’s buried in mud’

Family tragedy

Coolidge’s sister Priscilla was fatally shot by her husband during a murder-suicide on October 2, 2014 in Thousand Oaks, California, according to VC star.

“Words cannot express the devastation our family feels over the loss of my sister Priscilla,” Coolidge told The Star in a statement to The Star. “We ask for privacy during this time of mourning.”

She detailed the family tragedy in her 2016 book, writing: “She was like my twin brother. We talked every day. We’ve written music together for decades.’

Coolidge added, “She was my best friend from the time I can remember, and if I lost her at all, my heart would be broken.

“Losing her at the hands of a crazy man with a gun made it unacceptable. It took me so long to accept that she wouldn’t call me.’