Photo: Getty Images
Country artists mourned the loss of legendary singer-songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson in an outpouring of heartfelt tributes.
Spokeswoman Ebie McFarland confirmed to the Associated Press on Sunday evening (September 29) that Kristofferson died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Saturday (September 28) at his home on Maui, Hawaii. He was 88. Kristofferson’s cause of death was not disclosed as of publication time on Monday morning (September 30). Kristofferson was known for writing “Me and Bobby McGee,” “For the Good Times,” “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and much more throughout his decades-long career. Some of his most well-known acting credits include A Star Is Born (1976) and Blade, among others.
The Nashville community mourned Kristofferson’s loss in tributes on social media, including Instagram stories from Jake Owen, Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Monroe, Morgan Wade, Tigirlily Gold, Lady A's Hillary Scott and many others. Others posted throwback photos with the late legend and remembered him as “a beacon of light in a darkening world,” Eric Church wrote. Reba McEntire hailed the late Texas-born star “one of my favorite people.” Dolly Parton referenced her classic 1970s ballad as she said, “I will always love you.”
“So sad to hear of the passing of [Kris Kristofferson],” George Strait wrote in a statement on his Instagram story on Monday morning. “Artists and songwriters of this caliber come along very rarely and he certainly made his mark on the world. My family, like most people, were huge fans and we will all miss him. I knew him on a professional level only but I always felt like it was more because of the kindness and respect he showed me on the times we met. I’ll treasure those times forever. He lived one heck of a life and I’m hoping it has only just begun for him. God bless Kris and all of the Kristofferson family.”
“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,” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said in a statement of the late 2004 inductee. “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.”
“Kris Kristofferson. The legend is the reality,” reads a tribute shared by The Bluebird Cafe, a historic venue in Nashville that has hosted intimate performances by legendary artists and rising stars over the decades. “Were those incredible legendary songs channeled, penned alongside angels with a direct connection between the holy and the human? Songs…that every songwriter looks up to, that are benchmarks of musical poetry tying the ethereal and the mundane. Through those songs, he told us about a man’s longings, heartaches and failures and redemption. Songs filled with nostalgia and loneliness, without being maudlin but rather rich, heart-breaking and true. His legacy lives on and will continue to touch listeners with his willingness to bare it all, for the sake of the song. We are grateful that we had the chance to experience the world through his eyes. Here’s to this extraordinary man, who handed us our souls through his music. Thank you, Kris.”
The Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association and others also expressed heartbreak over the loss and expressed condolences to Kristofferson’s family.
See the tributes to the late legend below.