In many ways, Kris Kristofferson was ahead of his time. His songs were often infused with a lyrical complexity that was pretty uncommon for other songs of the era. After all, he has an English Literature background as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University — so why not put it to good use? Songs such as “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” and “Me and Bobby McGee”, and wailing lyrics such as “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose,” exemplify these biting lyrics succinctly.
Sadly, the legend has now passed.
Ebie McFarland, the spokesperson for Kristofferson, sent an email to the Associated Press saying Kristofferson died at his home in Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday September 28th. He was 88 years old. No cause was given, and McFarland said Kristofferson died peacefully surrounded by his family.
Many stars came out on social media to pay their respects, such as Jake Owen, Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Monroe, Lady A, and many more.
George Strait took to his Instagram saying “So sad to hear of the passing of [Kris]. 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.”
In 1965, he took the bold decision to leave the military to pursue his passion for songwriting, much to the dismay of his parents. His first successful song was “Vietnam Blues” alongside Dave Dudley, but it was “Me and Bobby McGee where his career really started to take off, with the likes of Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin covering his songs.
He was also well-known for his career as an actor. He played the role of a rugged character in films like Cisco Pike (1972) and Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973). He won a Golden Globe for Best Actor for the film A Star Is Born (1976), where he starred opposite Barbara Streisand.
