Kris Kristofferson:Legendary Singer, Songwriter & Actor Died at 88
Kris Kristofferson, Iconic Country And Hollywood Star, Dead At 88 Kristofferson, who is widely regarded as a paramount of profound songwriting and quite the charismatic on screen actor will always be immortalized through his evergreen music and popular film roles. He died peacefully at his home in Maui, Hawaii surrounded by family members, his family confirmed.
MASTER SONGSMITH OF THE HITS
Kristofferson first attracted attention as a songwriter in the late 1960s. From Brownsville, Texas, his song’s themes often bounce from lonilness to love and the open road that differentiate him from other counrty music hall of famers. Being some of his best-known songs, the likes of Me and Bobby McGee, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Help Me Make It Through the Night and for The Good Times He wrote and recorded many of those numbers himself, but they achieved their greatest success when cut by performers such as Janis Joplin (Me and Bobby McGee), Johnny Cash (Sunday Morning Coming Down) and Ray Price (For the Good Times).
His idiosyncratic music, drawing on roots rock and the protest songs of folk legends such as Bob Dylan, helped to redefine country music alongside peers like Willie Nelson and John Prine. Kristofferson connected with millions of fans through his songs, each a stream-of-consciousness gem that smacked of hard-lived wisdom.
A Star is Born & Blade to Hollywood Stardom
Kristofferson also made a name for himself as an actor, appearing in countless films. His films include starring turns in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” opposite Ellen Burstyn, and with Barbra Streisand in the 1976 version of “A Star is Born” as well as the “Blade” trilogy with Wesley Snipes. This led to his Golden Globe Award for his performance in A Star is Born in 1976.
Kristofferson eventually became a Hollywood actor, but that never stole the writer from the man’ for years segregation between his…
Most probably from a Rhodes-cum-Country Star
Kristofferson feels as though he could have been the subject of an epic life story. He was born into a military family and proved to be good at academics as well as sport, earning a Rhodes Scholarship to study literature at Oxford University. He became enthralled by Shakespeare and William Blake. After graduating he joined the U.S. Army and became a helicopter pilot reaching the rank of Captain.
Kristofferson, an up-and-coming military officer, was bound instead to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a songwriter. From there, he packed up and moved to Nashville where he shared the sidewalks of Music City with tourists during the day and worked as a janitor for Columbia Records at night while penning songs. His persistence paid off, however, when he made his way into the music world and Johnny Cash had something to do with it.
Partnerships And Winning Grammys
It led not only to Kristofferson becoming a star, but accepting an award as well. He is a three-time Grammy Award winner, winning for performances in 1976 and 1997 with the group the Chieftains [2] as well as an award in 2007 when he collaborated with his former wife Rita Coolidge. He became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and was given an honory Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Veteran Nelson — a longtime friend of Kristofferson’s — gushed and added, “To me, he’s my favorite songwriter. I like (Jimmie Rodgers’) songwriting probably just as much; probably more Jimmie Rodger’s songs than anybody else (except) Kris.” His lyrics caught the essence of heartbreak and honky tonk, and his songs set standards in the field.
In 1953 he turned to political activism, which he continued into his 80s.
Kristofferson also had a strong political voice, besides his musical one. He spoke out against nuclear testing and U.S. foreign policy in Central America, championing human rights with his platform. The Year After (1981) and his highly political 1990 album Third World Warrior.
Kristofferson would be diagnosed with memory loss in his later years. Yet he kept performing until 2020, sharing his sense of hurt and confusion with the audiences listening to him. It was a constant reminder of the depth at which Ikutaro was connected to the music he wrote; if he could remember his songs, then it stood to reason it must be as strong or stronger than any emotion, otherwise he wouldn’t keep all that pain bottled up.
A Life of Love and Gratitude
No matter the hardship, Kristofferson said he was extremely grateful for his life. In a 2013 interview, he said, “I’m incredibly surprised that I’m this old and still among the living with my friends.” Leaving a legacy of music, films and relentless commitment to his craft, Prince remains an everlasting figure in American culture.