Kris Kristofferson, outlaw country legend and Hollywood star, has died at the age of 88 at his home in Maui, Hawaii. Although no cause of death has been revealed, Kristofferson has reportedly died in his sleep, surrounded by his family.
Known for his untrained voice and poetic lyrics, Kristofferson wrote hits like ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’, ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’ or that ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ that gave Janis Joplin a posthumous number 1 single. .
Kristofferson, born in Texas, had served in the military before turning to music, reaching the rank of captain, which allowed him to pilot a helicopter. In addition, he was a student at Oxford, in the United Kingdom, thanks to the prestigious Rhodes scholarship. In 1965 he left the armed forces and decided to dedicate himself fully to music.
With Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, Kristofferson formed the country supergroup The Highwaymen, with which he achieved hits such as the wonderful ‘Highwayman’. In his career, Kristofferson won three Grammys, first for ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’, and then for his duets with Rita Coolidge, to whom he was married between 1973 and 1980.
Kristofferson also had a brief career in Hollywood. He is best remembered for starring, alongside Barbra Streisand, in the third version of ‘A Star is Born’ (1976), the second highest-grossing film of that year, or for his role in ‘Blade’ (1998). Some of Kristofferson’s later roles, such as ‘Heaven’s Gate’, were received with less enthusiasm by audiences.
Also known for defending various social and political causes, most recently the Palestinian one, many will remember Kristofferson for being the person who consoled Sinéad O’Connor the night she was booed during a concert in tribute to Bob Dylan, very few days after that O’Connor ripped up a photo of the Pope live on Saturday Night Live.
