Legendary Country Outlaw Kris Kristofferson Dies Aged 88
The singer-songwriter and actor was best known for the tunes ‘Me And Bobby McGee’, ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’ and ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’.
Image via @kriskristofferson (Facebook)
Country music legend Kris Kristofferson has passed away at the age of 88.
His death was confirmed in a statement shared by his family on social media: “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.”
Tributes have flowed for the four-time Grammy Award winner, with Dolly Parton writing, “What a great loss, what a great writer, what a great actor, what a great friend. I will always love you.” These sentiments have been echoed by a host of entertainers, including Brandie Carlile, Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, Tom Morello and more.
Kristofferson, whose career spanned over 50 years, is best known for penning the smash hits ‘Me And Bobby McGee’, ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’ and ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’.
Born in Brownsville, Texas, in 1936, Kristofferson was a sports star as a teen before becoming interested in songwriting. This prompted him to study English literature. After college, a stint in the army followed before he moved to Nashville and attempted to make it as a singer.
Releasing his debut album, Kristofferson, in 1970, and its follow-up, The Siler Tongued Devil and I, a year later, the singer-songwriter had moderate success. It wasn’t until his girlfriend at the time, Janis Joplin, covered his track ‘Me and Bobby McGee’, that Kristofferson became more widely known.
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Kristofferson released 22 albums throughout his career and collaborated with the biggest country stars of his time. He also had a memorable stint in The Highwaymen, a country supergroup comprising Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. The quartet formed in 1985 and released three albums and the hit single, ‘Highwayman’.
Along with being a hitmaker, Kristofferson became an acclaimed actor, with his first role coming in friend Dennis Hopper’s The Last Movie in 1971. His biggest acting credit was playing John Norman Howard in 1976’s A Star Is Born alongside Barbra Streisand. He went on to appear in a slew of flicks including Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid, Convoy, Heaven’s Gate and the Blade trilogy.
Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and continued releasing records, touring and acting until quietly retiring in 2021.
Kristofferson is survived by his wife of 41 years, Lisa Meyers, and eight children.
