Kris Kristofferson Dies at 88: Country music icon and actor who starred opposite Barbra Streisand in A Star Is Born passes away at his Maui home
Kris Kristofferson, a veteran singer and songwriter who starred in A Star Is Born, has died at the age of 88.
The versatile entertainer, a country singer-songwriter and actor, died Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii, his representative said. People.
The Why Me artist died “peacefully” surrounded by family members, his rep told the outlet.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, September 28,” his family said in a statement, the outlet reported. “We are all so blessed for our time with him.
“Thank you for loving him all these years, and when you see a rainbow, know that he is smiling at us all.”
Kris Kristofferson, a veteran singer and songwriter who starred in A Star Is Born, has died at the age of 88
The Why Me artist was photographed at a concert in London in July 2019
Among his numerous acting credits, Kristofferson played the role of troubled rocker John Norman Howard in the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born opposite Barbra Streisand. He won the Golden Globe in 1977 for his work in the film.
Kristofferson’s other major acting efforts include a turn as the character Whistler in the Wesley Snipes action films Blade (1998), Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trilogy (2004).
He also starred opposite Ellen Burstyn in director Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
Kristofferson was a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rugged charisma who became a country music superstar and a Hollywood actor.
Beginning in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas native wrote such classics as Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, Help Me Make it Through the Night, For the Good Times and Me and Bobby McGee.
Kristofferson was a singer himself, but many of his songs were best known because they were performed by others, whether it was Ray Price singing For the Good Times or Janis Joplin belting out Me and Bobby McGee.
Kristofferson, who could recite William Blake by heart, wove intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and tender romance into popular country music.
With his long hair, wide-bottomed pants and counterculture songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new breed of country songwriters, along with peers such as Willie Nelson, John Prine and Tom T. Hall.
Among his numerous acting credits, Kristofferson played the role of troubled rocker John Norman Howard in the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born opposite Barbra Streisand. He won the Golden Globe in 1977 for his work in the film
Kristofferson pictured with Taylor Swift in May 2012 in Las Vegas at the MGM Arena
Kristofferson and Swift pictured in Nashville, Tennessee in November 2009
“There is no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Nelson said at an awards ceremony for Kristofferson in November 2009, held by BMI. ‘Everything he writes is a standard and we will all have to live with that.’
He was a Golden Gloves boxer and football player in college, earned a master’s degree in English from Merton College at the University of Oxford in England, and turned down an appointment to teach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, to practice songwriting. in Nashville.
Hoping to break into the industry, he worked as a part-time janitor at Columbia Records’ Music Row studio in 1966, when Dylan recorded songs for the seminal Blonde on Blonde double album.
Sometimes Kristofferson’s legend was bigger than real life. Johnny Cash liked to tell a largely exaggerated story about how Kristofferson, a former U.S. Army pilot, landed a helicopter on Cash’s lawn to give him a tape of Sunday Mornin’ “Comin’ Down” with a beer in one hand.
Over the years, Kristofferson said in interviews with all due respect to Cash that even though he landed a helicopter at Cash’s house, the Man in Black wasn’t even home at the time, the demo tape was a song that no one had ever actually cut and he certainly could don’t fly a helicopter with a beer in hand.
In a 2006 interview with The Associated Press, he said that without Cash he might not have had a career.
“Shaking his hand when I was backstage with the Army at the Grand Ole Opry was the moment I decided I was going to come back,” Kristofferson said. ‘It was electric. He took me under his wing a little bit before he cut one of my songs. He made my first record, which was record of the year. He put me on stage for the first time.’
One of his most recorded songs, Me and Bobby McGee, was written on the recommendation of Fred Foster, the founder of Monument Records.
The Brownsville, Texas native — who wrote such classics as Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, Help Me Make it Through the Night, For the Good Times and Me and Bobby McGee — was pictured performing in 1973
Rita Coolidge and Kristofferson pictured in a special titled Mac Davis: I Believe In Music in November 1973
Kristofferson retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage. Pictured in 2017 in Nashville
Foster had a song title in mind called Me and Bobby McKee, named after a female secretary in his building. Kristofferson said in an interview in Performing Songwriter magazine that he was inspired to write the lyrics about a man and woman on the road together after seeing the Frederico Fellini film La Strada.
Joplin, who had a close relationship with Kristofferson, changed the lyrics to make Bobby McGee a man and scrapped her version just days before she died of a drug overdose in 1970. The recording became a posthumous number 1 hit for Joplin.
Hits that Kristofferson recorded include Why Me, Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do), Watch Closely Now, Desperados Waiting for a Train, A Song I’d Like to Sing and Jesus Was a Capricorn.
In 1973, he married fellow songwriter Rita Coolidge and together they had a successful duet career that earned them two Grammy awards. They divorced in 1980.
In 2021, he retired from performing and recording and only made occasional guest appearances on stage.
As news of his death spread, a number of people posted memorials for Kristofferson online.
As news of his death spread, a number of people posted memorials for Kristofferson online
Country artist Travis Tritt said, “Sad to hear of the passing of Kris Kristofferson. He was an inspiration to me and I was lucky enough to meet him on the set of Outlaw Justice which we filmed in Spain in 1998. My sincere condolences go out to Kris’ wife Lisa and all his family, friends and fans.”
Country artist John Rich said: “So sad to hear of Kris Kristofferson’s passing. He and I have become friends over the years, and it was an honor every time I got to work with him or hang out with him. He was one of the greatest lyricists ever, and a real class act. He set the bar so very high. I miss you brother.’
A tweet from CMA Country Music read: “We are heartbroken to hear about the loss of legendary country music icon Kris Kristofferson.
“The beloved recording artist, singer, songwriter and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame forever left a mark on music history. Our sincere condolences go out to his family and loved ones at this difficult time.”
SiriusXM host Eric Alper said, “If you’ve ever hummed Me and Bobby McGee or found solace in Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, you’ve felt the genius of Kris Kristofferson. A legend in both country music and Hollywood. Rest assured, Kris, your songs and roles will live in our hearts forever.”
Entertainment journalist Pam Windsor wrote: ‘So sad to hear about the passing of #KrisKristofferson. He died yesterday at home in Hawaii. He was 88. He was a great singer, songwriter and actor. Also a Rhodes Scholar, football player, boxer, firefighter and Army Ranger helicopter pilot. What a life, what a legacy.’
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said in a statement: “Kris Kristofferson believed that creativity is God-given, and those who ignore such a gift are doomed to misfortune. He preached that a life of the spirit gives voice to the soul, and his work gave voice not only to his soul, but to ours as well. He leaves behind a resounding legacy.’
Kristofferson is survived by his wife Lisa, eight children and seven grandchildren.
