Rita Coolidge

Coolidge is a graduate of Florida State University. After singing around Memphis (including a stint singing jingles), she was discovered by Delaney & Bonnie, who worked with her in Los Angeles. There, she became a background singer on many other people\'s albums. She sang for Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills. She was featured in Joe Cocker\'s Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and album, singing Russell\'s and Bonnie Bramlett\'s song "Superstar." She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Russell to write a song of the same name for her.\n', '

In November 1970, she met Kris Kristofferson at the Los Angeles airport when they were both catching the same flight to Tennessee. He got off in Memphis with her, rather than continue to his intended destination in Nashville. The two married in 1973 and reco…