Kris Kristofferson pitched every one of his songs to one singer. In 1970, he would change his life forever

Kris Kristofferson recalled how Johnny Cash encouraged him when he was trying to establish himself as a songwriter, even though Cash did not initially record the songs he pitched. Their friendship and Cash’s support became a turning point when Cash performed Kristofferson’s “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” on his television show in 1970.

Cash’s recording helped make the song a major success and earned it the title “Record of the Year”, according to the article. Kristofferson said he never had to work another job afterwards; before that breakthrough, he had spent a year and a half as a janitor at Columbia Records Studio and had pitched Cash every song he wrote.