Who is Kris Kristofferson's ex-wife Rita Coolidge and when did the country singer divorce her?

RITA Coolidge is an iconic American singer who defies classification, racking up hits on Billboard's country, pop, contemporary and jazz charts.

Between 1973 and 1980, she was was married to another music legend, Kris Kristofferson — who sadly passed away at the age of 88 surrounded by family at his Maui home on September 28, 2024.

Who is Rita Coolidge?

Rita Coolidge is a two-time Grammy -winning singer-songwriter and the ex-wife of the late great Kris Kristofferson .

Despite it being a case of "love at first sight", their relationship was both musically fruitful and personally "volatile".

Early life and musical influences

Rita Coolidge was born on May 1, 1945, in Lafayette, Tennessee , a small town near Nashville.

She grew up in a musical family, with her father Dick Coolidge serving as a minister and her mother Charlotte working as a schoolteacher.

Rita had two sisters, Linda and Priscilla, as well as a brother named Raymond.

Rita's father was Cherokee, while her mother's heritage was a mix of Cherokee and Scottish.

Music was an integral part of Rita's upbringing, as she explained to Indian Artist magazine: "I was singing close harmony with my sisters in church when I was two. And later on, we had solo spots during service.

"Since my father and mother and grandmothers all sang, music was a natural part of our lives, just like sleeping and eating."

The Coolidge sisters formed a singing trio during their childhood, showcasing their talents from an early age.

Early career and success

When she was 15, Rita and her family moved to Florida where she attended Florida State University to study art.

While studying she formed a folk group called R.C. and the Moonpies.

After graduating, she moved to Memphis and found work singing radio-station IDs and commercial jingles at the Pepper Sound studio.

Rita recorded her first album Turn Around and Love You (1969) after studio executives noticed her talent.

Since my father and mother and grandmothers all sang, music was a natural part of our lives, just like sleeping and eating

Rita Coolidge

The album's title song did well regionally, but failed to make an impact nationally.

Meeting Kris and marriage

Rita and Kris met in 1970 at the Los Angeles airport when they were on the same flight to Memphis.

They felt an instant connection, with Rita describing it as "love at first flight" in a 2016 interview with People.

She said: "Kris and I have a connection and we laugh at stuff that nobody else gets.

"We just have a bond that is beyond any kind of understanding."

Rita added: "We literally talked all the way to Memphis."

Within hours of meeting, they had agreed to get married and even picked out a name for their future child.

The couple officially tied the knot in a private ceremony on August 17, 1973.

Throughout the 1970s, they were one of the most high-profile couples in the music industry.

Musical collaboration

Professionally, Rita and Kris had a very successful partnership.

They released three albums together and won two Grammy Awards — best country vocal performance by a duo or group — for the songs From the Bottle To The Bottom (1974) and Lover Please (1976).

They were also nominated in 1975 for Loving Arms, but did not win that year.

Rita and Kris had one daughter together, Casey Kristofferson , who was born in 1974.

Casey followed in her parents' footsteps and is also a musician.

She told Asheville Movies : "After being raised on the road, I have always avoided the spotlight.

"I gravitated more towards the punk rock scene, classical ballet, and music. Almost anything to not be recognized just for my name."

Personal struggles

While their musical collaborations were harmonious, their personal relationship was more "volatile".

In her 2016 memoir Delta Lady, Rita went into detail about Kris' struggles with alcoholism and infidelity.

In a 2019 interview, she told MichaelCavacini.com : "Kris is a wonderful man. He is an extraordinary songwriter.

"He's been a close friend of mine and the father of my daughter, so I have nothing but glowing things to say about Kris.

"Our marriage was volatile. It's all in the book, and it's one of the reasons I wrote my book. Not to tell on Kris but to share my experience with him.

"He's an amazing guy, and he's a national treasure now."

The couple divorced in 1980 after seven years of marriage.

Speaking about what happened, in 2016 Rita told the Irish Times: "When Kris and I were doing concerts, he didn't have hit records. I did. We were equal in our jobs and in our relationship.

"I was a recording artist. I was making an album every year or two and I think that's what he wanted really more than anything, but the films just kept coming at him and he made the choice.

"He might feel that I was abusive to him. 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. When we divorced I didn't ask for anything from him."

And in regards to their daughter, she added: "I didn't feel I was doing her any favours by going the distance when clearly her parents were not in harmony."

Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Rita and Kris maintained a strong friendship and connection.

Rita 's solos career

Rita had a successful career both during and after her marriage to Kris.

She is known for hits including We're All Alone (1977), (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher (1977) and the theme from the James Bond movie Octopussy, All Time High (1983).