Kris Kristofferson, an icon who achieved stardom both as a trailblazing country music singer-songwriter and as a Hollywood film and TV star, passed away peacefully on Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii. Surrounded by family, he was 88. No official cause of death was provided.
In a statement, his family expressed, “With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our husband, father, and grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, on Saturday, Sept. 28, at home. We are blessed to have shared so many years with him. We thank everyone who loved him throughout his life, and whenever you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down on all of us.” The statement was issued on behalf of his wife, Lisa, his eight children—Tracy, Kris Jr., Casey, Jesse, Jody, John, Kelly, and Blake—and his seven grandchildren.
Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, remarked, “Kris Kristofferson believed creativity was a divine gift, and ignoring it was a path to unhappiness. He preached that true fulfillment came from living a life of the mind, and his work gave voice not just to his own soul but to all of ours. His influences ranged from Muhammad Ali to the poet William Blake, to Hank Williams, and he lived a life that honored their ideals. Kris leaves behind a courageous, righteous legacy that echoes with theirs.”
Kristofferson’s breakthrough as a songwriter came after years of hard work in Nashville’s music scene. He penned country No. 1 hits like “For the Good Times” (Ray Price, 1970), “Sunday Morning Coming Down” (Johnny Cash, 1970), and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (Sammi Smith, 1971). His song “Me and Bobby McGee,” made famous by Janis Joplin, became a posthumous No. 1 hit for her in 1971.
His early albums for Monument Records featured his unpolished vocals and poetic, proto-outlaw country songs, all of which reached the country top 10, with 1972’s Jesus Was a Capricorn topping the charts, featuring his No. 1 hit “Why Me.” Over his career, Kristofferson won three Grammy Awards, including Best Country Song for “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and two duets with Rita Coolidge, to whom he was married from 1973 to 1980.
His lyrics often addressed themes of loneliness, pain, and freedom, while also celebrating love and honest relationships. Though Kristofferson was often self-critical of his singing, famously stating in a 2016 Rolling Stone interview that others performed his songs better, his raw voice became an inseparable part of his signature style. Fans wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Kristofferson’s striking good looks and relaxed demeanor made him a natural fit for Hollywood. His film debut came in 1972’s Cisco Pike, in which he played a musician turned drug dealer. During the 1970s, he became a leading man, starring in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) and winning a Golden Globe for his role opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1977 remake of A Star Is Born.
Despite some career setbacks in films like Sam Peckinpah’s Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) and Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate (1980)—the latter of which became infamous for its production woes—Kristofferson maintained his belief in the artistic merit of his projects. He would later defend Heaven’s Gate as an underappreciated work of art.
In the 1980s, he co-starred with Willie Nelson in Songwriter (1984), which earned an Oscar nomination for its music, and in 1985, Kristofferson, Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings formed the country supergroup The Highwaymen, releasing three successful albums over the next decade.
While his acting career thrived, with roles in over 100 films, including Blade (1998), Kristofferson’s music remained equally significant. His later albums, such as A Moment of Forever (1995) and This Old Road (2006), earned critical acclaim for their poignant lyrics and stripped-down production.
A 2004 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kristofferson also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2015. His songwriting style, which introduced themes of intelligence, humor, vulnerability, and sensuality to country music, left an indelible mark on the genre.
Born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, to a military family, Kristofferson excelled both academically and athletically. He graduated summa cum laude from Pomona College and attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Although he recorded some early songs under the name Kris Carson, Kristofferson later left the military—where he had achieved the rank of captain and could pilot helicopters—to pursue music in Nashville, despite family opposition.
One of Nashville’s most iconic stories involves Kristofferson landing a helicopter in Johnny Cash’s yard to deliver his demo of “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Cash later recorded the song live on his TV show, helping to launch Kristofferson’s career.
Though his Hollywood stardom and chart-topping records diminished in later years, Kristofferson continued to tour, and his influence endured. His final public performances took place at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday celebration in 2023, where he delivered moving duets with Roseanne Cash and Norah Jones.
Kris Kristofferson will be remembered as one of country music’s most talented and complex figures, whose contributions to music, film, and the arts will continue to inspire generations. As Bob Dylan, a fellow artist and friend, once said, “They ain’t seen anybody like him.”