Everything We Know About Kris Kristofferson's Three Marriages

Kris Kristofferson's life was full of love. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 1974, the beloved actor discussed his first marriage, which was with a woman named Frances Beer back in 1960. Although Kris had known Beer since their high school days, the couple only reconnected when he returned home for Christmas in his early 20s. They subsequently welcomed their first child, Tracy Kristofferson, in 1962. The "A Star Is Born" actor was notably writing a novel at the time, which unfortunately wasn't picked up by publishers, so he had to join the Air Force to make ends meet. The couple welcomed their second child, Kris Kristofferson Jr., in 1968 but sadly called it quits the following year. 

Then, in 1971, Kris got on a fateful flight from Los Angeles to Memphis, where he met his second wife, singer Rita Coolidge. In her 2016 memoir, "Delta Lady," she shared that their long-haul flight never had a dull moment because they thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. Although the "Blade" star was supposed to go to Nashville to tend to business, he ended up staying with Coolidge. 

"Before we went to sleep that night we'd picked out a name for our first child," the "Higher and Higher" singer recalled in her memoir, per People. "There was no doubt in my mind that we were going to be together." Her intuition was correct since they said their "I dos" in 1973 and welcomed their only child, daughter Casey Kristofferson, in 1974. However, their relationship was far from perfect. 

Speaking to the BBC in 2008, Rita Coolidge confessed that Kris Kristofferson's excessive drinking strained their relationship considerably. Unfortunately, their problems didn't go away even after he got sober. Coolidge had only ever known her husband when he was a drinker, so she felt a bit lost when Kris's personality changed as he learned to live without alcohol. Additionally, Kris' acting career and the "We're All Alone" songstress' solo music career pulled them in different directions and drove the couple further apart. Coolidge also revealed that the "Convoy" actor had "girls on the road" (via YouTube). However, in "Delta Lady," the singer-songwriter conceded that her ex-husband may see things differently. 

As The Irish Times reported, Coolidge posited that Kris may have felt envious of her because she got to live out his dream of being a singer while he was stuck with acting. "He might feel that I was abusive to him," she admitted. "I don't think I was. It was not all the time. It was just enough that I cried every day, and that's not a good way to live." Likewise, the "We're All Alone" hitmaker also wanted to protect their daughter, Casey Kristofferson's, well-being by walking away from their marriage before things got too bad between them. 

Despite all their highs and lows, the exes remained close through the years. Coolidge gushed to People in 2016, "Kris and I have a connection and we laugh at stuff that nobody else gets." She continued, "We just have a bond that is beyond any kind of understanding."

In a 2004 interview with The Irish Independent, Kris Kristofferson confirmed that he met his third wife, Lisa Meyers, at a gym back in 1982. It's safe to say that sparks instantly flew for the country star because Kristofferson approached her to ask her for gym equipment he didn't really need. As the two got to talking, Meyers asked Kristofferson if he would like to go for a run, but the "Why Me?" hitmaker warned her that he didn't have much time for anyone except his daughter. Speaking to People in 1998, the actor divulged that his first two marriages had turned him off the idea of commitment, recalling, "At the time, I was gun-shy about any relationship heavier than a one-night stand. The road had been my escape, going out and pouring it all into performing." However, Meyers wasn't deterred by the Grammy winner's inhibitions about serious relationships. 

In fact, the happy couple went on to tie the knot in 1983 and welcomed five children in the ensuing years. The "Blade II" star acknowledged to The Irish Independent that the birth of their kids prompted him to reconnect with his children from past marriages too. Meyers supported Kristofferson as he dealt with health conditions after the singer's Alzheimer's misdiagnosis and the couple had been married for 41 years at the time of Kristofferson's death, in 2024, at 88. In addition to all of these women, Kristofferson was also reportedly a part of Barbra Streisand's relationship history at one point.