- Kristofferson died peacefully at home, surrounded by family
- He won both Grammys and a Golden Globe during an incredible career
- The country music Hall of Famer also starred in the Blade trilogy
The country music and Hollywood icon Kris Kristofferson has passed away, his family have confirmed in a statement released earlier today. He was 88.
Kristofferson, a groundbreaking force in country music, died peacefully at his home in Maui, Hawaii, surrounded by family, although his cause of death is unkown.
In a statement, Kristofferson’s family said, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 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.” The statement was made on behalf of Kristofferson’s wife, Lisa; his eight children, Tracy, Kris Jr., Casey, Jesse, Jody, John, Kelly and Blake; and his seven grandchildren.
A Grammy award winning artist, Kristofferson was one of country music’s most prolific and important songwriters during the late 1960’s and 1970’s, penning such iconic tracks as ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’, ‘Me and Bobby McGee’, ‘For The Good Times’ and ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’. It was Johnny Cash’s performance of ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’ that led Kristofferson to be named Songwriter of the Year in 1970 at the Country Music Association Awards.
CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Kyle Young, said of Kristofferson and his legacy, “Kris Kristofferson believed to his core that creativity is God-given, and that those who ignore or deflect such a holy gift are doomed to failure and unhappiness. He preached that a life of the mind gives voice to the soul, and then he created a body of work that gave voice not only to his soul but to ours. Kris’s heroes included the prize fighter Muhammad Ali, the great poet William Blake, and the ‘Hillbilly Shakespeare,’ Hank Williams. 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.”
As his music career took off, so did his big-screen career, with roles in Martin Scorese’s ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’, ‘Blume in Love’ and ‘A Star Is Born’ in which he starred opposite Barbra Streisand and won a Golden Globe for Best Actor In A Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his efforts.
In 1985, Kristofferson formed the country supergroup The Highwaymen alongside Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, with the band releasing albums in 1985, 1990 and 1995.
Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004. He also received a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2014 Grammys, having previously won three awards at the show in 1971, 74 and 75. In 1998 he surprised his fanbase (and pretty much anyone with eyes, to be honest) when he showed up in Blade and then went onto appear in its two sequels.
Rest In Peace, Kris
