It's just been announced that legendary singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson, 73, will get his due, to be honored as a BMI Icon at the U.S. music rights organization’s 57th annual Country Awards on Nov. 10. I'm totally with our Dennis McCafferty, who covers country music for the magazine, when he says it's about time. Says Dennis: "For the young folks today who mainly know him as 'the old guy in the Blade movies,' try Googling the life of the great Kris Kristofferson (that's Kris in May, with Ani DiFranco, right). He was a Rhodes Scholar. He taught at West Point. At one time during the 70s, he was the biggest combination of actor, singer and songwriter anywhere. As for the latter, he's written so many songs that have stood the test of time — Me and Bobby McGee, Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again), Help Me Make It Through the Night. My personal favorite is Sunday Morning Coming Down, with the great line, "The beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad/So I had one more for dessert."

Photo courtesy of USA TODAY