Kris Kristofferson, A Star Is Born Actor and Country Legend, Dies at 88

Kris Kristofferson, a famous actor and country singer and songwriter, has passed away. He was 88 years old.

A representative for the star said he was surrounded by family when he died “peacefully” at his home in Maui on Saturday, September 28.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28th at home. We are all so blessed to spend time with him. Thank you for loving him all these years, and when you see a rainbow, know that he’s smiling down on us all,” his family said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

Kris Kristofferson.

Mary Ellen Mark

Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, to Mary Ann (née Ashbrook) and Lars Henry Kristofferson—a first-generation Swedish immigrant and a US Army Aviation officer and Air Force general. His love of country music began at a young age, and according to a 2013 interview with NPR, Kristofferson wrote his first song, “I Hate Your Ugly Face,” at just 11 years old. An Army brat, he moved around a lot during his childhood until his family landed in San Mateo, California, when he was a teenager.

According to his official website, Kristofferson has published two short stories — “Days Gone” and “The Rock” in Atlantic Monthly at the age of 18. In 1954, he attended Pomona College in California, where he played football, was crowned Golden Gloves boxer and worked as sports editor for the school newspaper. His athleticism and academic achievements landed him in the headlines Sports Illustrated‘with Issue of “Faces in the Crowd” during his senior year in 1958. After graduating from Pomona with a BA in Creative Writing, Kristofferson received a Rhodes Scholarship and an MA in English Literature from Merton College, Oxford University in 1960.

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According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Kristofferson’s parents urged him to enlist in the military after college. He joined the US Army and within five years became a helicopter pilot and reached the rank of captain. While serving in West Germany in the early 60s, Kristofferson continued to explore songwriting and formed a band with other soldiers. After completing his service in Germany, Kristofferson was offered a job teaching English at West Point Military Academy. He soon went to Nashville, Tenn., while on leave, which rekindled his passion for music and led to his resignation from the Army in 1965.

“I just fell in love with the music community that was happening there,” he said Conflict 2010 on the country music scene in Nashville. “The way the old heroes helped the new guys. It was a very deep job at the time; I don’t know if it’s anything like that now. But it was definitely the best move I ever made.”

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In Nashville, Kristofferson sent songs he had written while working as a night janitor at Columbia Studios, including “For the Good Times” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” Originally recorded by singer Bill Nash in 1968, “For the Good Times” did not achieve mainstream success until Ray Price released his version in June 1970, shortly after the song appeared on Kristofferson’s debut album in April of that year. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1972, and was famously covered by soul music icon Al Green.

Written by Kristofferson and also recorded for his first album, “Sunday Mornin’ Coming’ Down” caught the attention of Nashville singer Ray Stevens and country music legend Johnny Cash. Cash’s performance for The Johnny Cash Show the live album won Song of the Year at the 1970 CMA Awards and reached No. 1 on the Billboardcountry music chart.

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Other covers would follow, including “Me and Bobby McGee,” co-written with Fred Foster and released on Janis Joplin’s 1971 posthumous album. Pearl. The song became one of Kristofferson and Joplin’s biggest hits, reaching No. 1 on the pop charts and earning two 1972 Grammy nominations for Best Country Song and Song of the Year. That same year, Kristofferson took home his first Grammy for Best Country Song for his version of Sammi Smith’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night.”

Throughout the ’70s, Kristofferson continued to release albums and singles as a recording artist, including “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” and the two-time Grammy-nominated “Why Me.” He also collaborated with country singer Rita Coolidge—his second wife—on several albums together. The pair won two Grammys for 1973’s “From the Bottle to the Bottom” and their 1975 rendition of Clyde McPhatter’s 1962 hit “Lover Please.”

“He is a poet, not a musician, he is more interested in the interpretation than the quality of the voice,” The New York Times he wrote in a 1970 profile. “He is at once open and mystical, above petty prejudices, strongly appealing to both campus and intellectual groups. He is an important link between country, pop and underground music.”

Kristofferson’s talent went beyond music and songwriting. He acted in films like Cisco Pike (1972), Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid (1973) i Alice doesn’t live here anymore (1974).

Kristofferson told in 1974 Rolling Stone he felt confident about his foray into Hollywood despite his lack of formal education.

“I was never in any school play, but I read [Cisco Pike] script, and I could relate to this cat, this drug dealer,” he explained. “People said, ‘Don’t do it, take acting lessons first!’ But it seemed to me that acting had to be about understanding the character and then being as honest as possible.”

Then came his big break with his star role as John Norman Howard’s self-destructive rock star in the 1976 remake of the film. A star is born. Starring Barbra Streisand as Esther Hoffman—an unknown singer and John Norman’s love interest—the film won Kristofferson a Golden Globe for Best Actor in 1977. He was also known for his performances as Whistler in Blade trilogy with Wesley Snipes.

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The music was never far behind though. Kristofferson formed a country supergroup with Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson called The Highwaymen. Their first album, highwayman, and its title single topped the country charts in 1985. The band released two more albums—in 1990. Road robber 2 and in 1995 The road goes on forever.

Kristofferson has amassed numerous awards and honors throughout his decades-long career, including three Grammy wins and a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. He also received an Academy Award nomination in 1985 for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture songwriterwhere he starred alongside band member Nelson. In 2004, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

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In 2013, the actor-musician opened up about his experience with memory loss. Doctors initially misdiagnosed him with Alzheimer’s disease, although it was actually Lyme disease, reports CBS News. However, according to his wife Lisa Kristofferson (née Meyers), he sought treatment and saw improvement within weeks.

He was taking all these drugs for things he didn’t have, and they all have side effects, Lisa said Rolling Stone in 2016.

She added: “All of a sudden he’s back. He still has bad days but some days he’s perfectly normal and it’s easy to forget he’s struggling at all.”

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After the release of the last studio album, Cedar Creek SessionsIn 2016, the country icon officially announced his retirement from music in 2021 and shared that Morris Higham Management represents his assets.

“Kristofferson is the artist every artist aspires to be,” MHM president and partner Clint Higham wrote in a statement. “He’s an artist. If Mount Rushmore had a place for songwriters, Kris would be on it.”

When asked what he believes is the secret of life, Kristofferson said Men’s magazine 2017, “I once made a list of rules. It says: tell the truth, sing with passion, work with laughter and love with your heart. That’s a good place to start anyway.”

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Kristofferson left behind his wife Lisa, eight children and seven grandchildren.

He was previously married to Frances Beer, with whom he had a daughter, Tracy, in 1962, and a son, Kris, in 1968. He and Coolidge had a daughter, Casey, in 1974. He is also the father of five children with Lisa, including Jesse (1983), Jody (1985) , John (1988), Kelly Marie (1990) and Blake (1994).

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