Kris Kristofferson, a music icon who was part of the outlaw country movement, has died at 88. The new reveals that he died at his home in Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday. No cause of death was released, but the word is that he passed away peacefully while surrounded by his family.
Here is what you need to know about this sad passing.
Kris Kristofferson Dies At Home In Hawaii
Kris Kristofferson died in his Maui, Hawaii, home on Saturday at the age of 88. His family released a statement to let fans know about the icon’s death. In the statement, they said he “passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 28 at home. ”
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away,” the statement read (via Variety). “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.”
His family signed the statement. Kris leaves behind his wife, Lisa; his eight children, Tracy, Kris Jr., Casey, Jesse, Jody, John, Kelly, and Blake; and his seven grandchildren.
Kyle Young, the CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, released a statement on Kris’s passing. “Kris’s heroes included the prizefighter Muhammad Ali, the great poet William Blake, and the ‘Hillbilly Shakespeare,’ Hank Williams,” Young said. “He lived his life in a way that honored and exemplified the values of each of those men, and he leaves a righteous, courageous, and resounding legacy that rings with theirs.”
Kris Kristofferson Was More Than Just A Music Star
Kris Kristofferson was a huge star in country music for decades, but that isn’t all he was known for. He was also part of the outlaw country music movement, which featured some of his close friends, including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and more.
Kris started as a songwriter, and one of his most famous penned songs was “Me and Bobby McGee,” which Janis Joplin took to number one on the Billboard charts (Roger Miller originally sang it).
In 1970, he began releasing his own albums. His second release, The Silver Tongued Devil and I, was certified gold, and his fourth album, Jesus Was a Capricorn, was his first number-one album. In 1985, he teamed with Waylan Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson to form The Highwayman. Their debut album also hit number one.
Kris wasn’t willing to just be a musician, either. He also started an acting career in 1972. His biggest early role came in the 1973 movie Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, where he played Billy the Kid. He had the lead male role in the 1976 version of A Star Is Born with Barbara Streisand.
Many fans also might remember him from his role in the Marvel Comics movie franchise Blade in the 1990s with Wesley Snipes.
Over his career, he won two CMA Awards, three ACM Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. He also won four Grammys, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Please send your well wishes to Kris Kristofferson’s family and share your memories of him in the comments below.
Shawn S. Lealos has been a freelance writer for over 25 years and is a voting member of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle. He is also a published author with a book about the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers.