Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter and actor, dies at 88
Kristofferson died at his home on Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday, family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland said in an email. He was 88.
Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes Scholar known for his skillful writing and rugged charm who rose to fame as a country music icon and a prominent Hollywood actor, has passed away.
Kristofferson died peacefully at his home in Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday, as confirmed by family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland in an email. He was 88 years old.
McFarland noted that he was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing, though no cause of death was provided.
Beginning in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas, native penned several country and rock 'n' roll classics, including "Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down," "Help Me Make it Through the Night," "For the Good Times," and "Me and Bobby McGee." While Kristofferson was also a singer, many of his songs gained fame through other artists, such as Ray Price's rendition of "For the Good Times" and Janis Joplin's powerful performance of "Me and Bobby McGee."
He starred alongside Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese's 1974 film "Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore," appeared opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 remake of "A Star Is Born," and acted alongside Wesley Snipes in Marvel's "Blade" in 1998.
Known for his ability to recite William Blake from memory, Kristofferson infused his intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and heartfelt romance into mainstream country music. With his long hair, bell-bottom slacks, and counterculture-inspired songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new wave of country songwriters alongside contemporaries like Willie Nelson, John Prine, and Tom T. Hall.
“There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Nelson remarked during a 2009 BMI award ceremony honoring 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 but made occasional guest appearances on stage, including a performance with Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne at Nelson’s 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in 2023. The duo sang "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)," a hit for Kristofferson and a longtime live favorite for Nelson, another renowned interpreter of his work.
