Kris Kristofferson passed away peacefully at the age of 88

All of these celebrity deaths in recent days are so depressing. Dame Maggie Smith passed last week, then Drake Hogestyn, a beloved Days of Our Lives star died on Saturday. Then we learned on Sunday that Kris Kristofferson passed as well. Kristofferson was truly the jack of all trades, a true Renaissance man who loved women and art and life. He wrote beautiful music, was friends with artists around the world, he was a lovely actor and supportive friend to all. He was also a veteran. I remember watching Ken Burns’ Country Music docuseries and realizing how many country music people believed that Kris and Emmylou Harris were basically the soul of country.

Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, has died. Kristofferson died at his home on Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday, family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland said in an email. He was 88. McFarland said Kristofferson died peacefully, surrounded by his family. No cause was given.

Starting in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas native wrote such country and rock ‘n’ roll standards 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 as performed by others, whether Ray Price crooning “For the Good Times” or Janis Joplin belting out “Me and Bobby McGee.”

He starred opposite Ellen Burstyn in director Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 “A Star Is Born,” and acted alongside Wesley Snipes in Marvel’s “Blade” in 1998.

Kristofferson, who could recite William Blake from memory, wove intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and tender romance into popular country music. With his long hair and bell-bottomed slacks and counterculture songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new breed of country songwriters along with such peers as Willie Nelson, John Prine and Tom T. Hall.

“There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Nelson said at a 2009 BMI award ceremony for Kristofferson. “Everything he writes is a standard and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”

Kristofferson retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage, including a performance with Cash’s daughter Rosanne at Nelson’s 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in 2023. The two sang “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again),” a song that was a hit for Kristofferson and a longtime live staple for Nelson, another great interpreter of his work.

[From The Associated Press]

Barbra Streisand has already paid tribute to her dear friend (they adored each other) and I imagine Nashville is in mourning. What a life he lived, what a legend. I’m including the Sinead O’Connor story too.

Photos courtesy of UPPA . / Avalon, Joy Scheller / Avalon, Tina Paul / Wenn / Avalon and Avalon Red.

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16 Responses to “Kris Kristofferson passed away peacefully at the age of 88”

  1. AMTC says:

    Fell in love with him as a teenager watching A Star is Born and only later came to understand what an amazing person he was. Rest in Peace.

  2. Agnes says:

    He’s one for the record books, what a man.

  3. Brassy Rebel says:

    Loving Her Was Easier. Sheer poetry. And it’s so bittersweet.

  4. manta says:

    Just recently watched Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s gate (the final cut he validated) . He was brilliant in it. It’s really a pity that people only refer to this film as one of the greatest box office bombs in history. It’s a superb film

  5. bisynaptic says:

    May his memory be a blessing.

  6. SarahCS says:

    An all around amazing buy and I LOVED him in Blade.

  7. Amy T says:

    Another giant gone. He’s the one who helped get John Prine his first record contract, and John brought Steve Goodman along for the ride. All three brilliant, and all three generous. Rest well, KK, and thank you for your gifts.

  8. Tessa says:

    Loved him especially in alice doesn’t live here anymore and a,star is born.

  9. chatter says:

    Interesting and very talented.
    Me and Bobby McGee reduces me to tears always.
    He and Rita Coolidge had such chemistry together on stage.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Just listened to Janis’ version of Me & Bobby McGee, it’s my all-time favorite song of his, as she sings it. And yes, with listened with tears.

  10. samipup says:

    Rest in love and harmony. Rip.

  11. swaz says:

    Rest in Peace, you were loved 🙏

  12. PinkOrchid says:

    Literal ICON. He gave the world so much enduring beauty with his songs. Rest in Peace, Kris. ❤️

  13. Luna says:

    He and Dr. Gladys McGarey — two brilliant lights gone from our world!

  14. DeeSea says:

    Rest in peace, aloha, and mahalo to a true icon.

  15. Jaded says:

    He’d been struggling with dementia for some years, a huge light in the music world gone. Rest easy Kris, we’ll miss you but at least we have all your wonderful songs to remember you by.

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