MAUI, USA – Kris Kristofferson, a Grammy Award-winning country music singer, songwriter, and actor who brought a rugged charisma to both his lyrics and the silver screen, has died at 88.
He passed away peacefully at his home on Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday, September 28, 2024, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Ebie McFarland. No cause of death was provided.
Born in Brownsville, Texas, in 1936, Kristofferson’s remarkable career spanned more than five decades. He wrote some of country music’s most enduring songs, including “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and “Me and Bobby McGee,” the latter of which became a posthumous hit for Janis Joplin in 1970.
Despite his own success as a performer, many of his songs gained greater fame when recorded by other artists.
“There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Willie Nelson said in a 2009 tribute to his friend and frequent collaborator. “Everything he writes is a standard, and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”
Kristofferson’s achievements went beyond music.
He became a significant figure in Hollywood, starring in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Barbra Streisand’s A Star Is Born (1976), and the Marvel hit Blade (1998), where he played the grizzled mentor to Wesley Snipes’ vampire hunter.
A Rhodes scholar and U.S. Army captain, Kristofferson lived many lives before making his mark on the entertainment industry.
He earned a master’s degree from Oxford University, was a champion boxer, and flew helicopters in the Army.
His decision to leave behind a potential military career to pursue songwriting was pivotal — a move he solidified after meeting Johnny Cash backstage at the Grand Ole Opry.
“Shaking his hand when I was still in the Army was the moment I decided I’d come back,” Kristofferson said in a 2006 interview. “It was electric. He kind of took me under his wing.”
Cash was instrumental in bringing Kristofferson’s work into the public spotlight, famously recording “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” in 1970, a song that became one of Kristofferson’s signature pieces.
The story of Kristofferson landing a helicopter in Cash’s backyard to deliver the demo has become part of country music legend, though Kristofferson himself later admitted the tale had grown with embellishment over time.
In the 1980s, Kristofferson’s musical career reached new heights when he joined forces with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings to form the country supergroup The Highwaymen.
“For me, I wish I was more aware of how short a time it would be,” Kristofferson reflected in a 2005 interview, referring to the group’s brief, yet impactful, collaboration. “It was several years, but it was still like the blink of an eye.”
Despite his success, Kristofferson’s sharp-tongued political lyrics often put him at odds with some of his fanbase.
His 1989 album Third World Warrior, which criticized U.S. foreign policy in Central America, faced backlash.
Still, Kristofferson remained unapologetic. “They were getting mad at me ’cause I was telling them what was going on,” he said in a 1995 interview.
Kristofferson retired from performing in 2021, though he made occasional guest appearances, including a duet with Rosanne Cash at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday celebration earlier this year.
As the country music world mourns the loss of one of its most influential voices, Kristofferson’s legacy of poetic, often tender, songwriting remains as a testament to his enduring influence on both country and rock music.
In a tribute to his career, Nelson once said, “When I look back now, I know I hear Willie say it was the best time of his life.”
He is survived by his wife, Lisa Meyers, and their children.
‘A Star is Born’ Co-star, Barbra Streisand Pays Tribute
In the wake of Kris Kristofferson’s passing, Barbra Streisand, his co-star in A Star Is Born, shared a heartfelt tribute reflecting on their enduring friendship and professional partnership.
Streisand, in her tribute, spoke of Kristofferson’s unique presence, recalling the first time she saw him perform at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.
“Barefoot and strumming his guitar, he seemed like the perfect choice for a script I was developing, which eventually became A Star Is Born,” she wrote.
Their collaboration on the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born became iconic, with Kristofferson portraying the troubled rock star John Norman Howard.
His performance earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, while Streisand’s role as Esther Hoffman solidified her place as a leading figure in both film and music.
The film’s love theme, Evergreen, composed by Streisand and featuring lyrics by Paul Williams, became a standout moment in their partnership.
The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, a tribute to the magic of their musical and on-screen chemistry.
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