Kris Kristofferson gives surprise performance at Fargo bar

Kris Kristofferson surprised customers when he performed with an acoustic guitar at a North Dakota bar after a band taped a request to the singer-songwriter's tour bus.

The three-time Grammy Award winner Kristofferson stopped at Dempsey's Public House in downtown Fargo on Saturday night and asked to sing with the band 32 Below.

KFGO-AM reports the band had taped a note to Kristofferson's tour bus door. The note said the band was "huge fans" and "would be absolutely stoked" if Kristofferson came to the bar and allowed them to buy him "a beer or five."

Dempsey's General Manager Jeff Fonder says Kristofferson performed "Me and Bobby McGee," a song he wrote that achieved major success after it was recorded by Janis Joplin. In 1971, her version of the spent two weeks at the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

32 Below later said on Facebook: "We played a legendary song with the legend who wrote it!"

Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar and former Airborne Ranger helicopter pilot, was in town to perform at the Fargo Theatre.

In addition to "Bobby McGee," the 83-year-old singer-songwriter wrote hits including "For the Good Times" (a No. 1 record for Ray Price in 1971), "Help Me Make It Through the Night" (a No. 1 for Sammi Smith in 1971) and "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" (Johnny Cash topped the charts in 1970 with his version of the song). He topped the charts himself with the self-penned gospel tune, "Why Me" in 1973.