Kris Kristofferson, the Grammy Award-winning country music legend who made a significant mark in both Nashville and Hollywood, has passed away at the age of 88.
His family shared the heartbreaking news via a statement on Facebook late Sunday, saying, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28, at home. We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
Throughout his illustrious career, Kristofferson dominated the U.S. country charts, with his iconic songwriting inspiring renowned artists like Janis Joplin, Gladys Knight, and Johnny Cash to cover his songs. Over six decades, he garnered three Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Kristofferson was celebrated for his poignant and gritty lyrics, along with his unique rhythms and phrasing. Some of his most famous hits include “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night.”
In addition to his musical success, Kristofferson ventured into acting in 1971, earning a Golden Globe for his role in the 1976 film “A Star Is Born” alongside Barbra Streisand. His filmography also includes notable titles like “Semi-Tough,” “Songwriter,” “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,” “The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea,” “Lone Star,” and “Blade.” He starred in Michael Cimino’s ambitious Western “Heaven’s Gate,” which was initially panned but later received a reevaluation.
Streisand paid tribute to Kristofferson on X early Monday, reminiscing about their first encounter: “The first time I saw Kris performing at the Troubadour club in L.A., I knew he was something special. Barefoot and strumming his guitar, he seemed like the perfect choice for a script I was developing, which eventually became A Star Is Born.”
Born in Brownsville, Texas, in 1936, Kristofferson attended the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where he began writing songs. After returning to the U.S., he joined the Army, flying helicopters, and later taught literature at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Kristofferson’s early years in Nashville were marked by what he referred to as “songwriting purgatory,” working as a janitor at Columbia Records, where he rubbed shoulders with stars like Cash and Bob Dylan. Cash eventually recorded Kristofferson’s “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” propelling it to the top of the charts. The following year, Joplin would posthumously reach the Billboard Hot 100 with “Me and Bobby McGee,” which became her signature song.
Dolly Parton also shared her sorrow on X Monday, writing, “What a great loss. What a great writer. What a great actor. What a great friend. I will always love you, Dolly.”
