re: RIP Kris Kristofferson

…and was an Army badass who was also an accomplished helicopter pilot.

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He never served in Vietnam.

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no doubt an accomplished man but one thing about him that sort of rubbed me the wrong way and I always think of when his name is mentioned, he played a short gig at the Independence Bowl years back when it was a pretty patriot event, Omar Bradley was a regular, Bob Hope came there a time or two, and a local veteran's group had a little ceremony/presentation for Kristofferson, acknowledging him and thanking him for his service and presented him with a commemorative plaque, the building cleaners (Hirsch Colosseum,) find the plaque in the trash can of his dressing room after he left

He has a Baton Rouge connection. Fred Foster was the record exec that gave Kristofferson his break, and fed him the name "Bobbie McGee" to use in a song. Forster would go visit his buddy in the office next door, and the buddy asked him "are you coming to see me, or Bobbie?" His secretary was named Bobbie McGee.

Fred Foster's daughter, Kristen, teaches at Episcopal in Baton Rouge

Let's just say he delivered his message well.

That’s really cool. I thought my Dad was pulling my leg when he told me. There was no internet back in the day, obviously. Dad passed away shortly after telling me, and only years later did I realize he wasn’t kidding when I happened to read a Wikipedia write up on Kristofferson. I about fell out of my chair.