Country music legend and Hollywood actor Kris Kristoffer died on September 28, 2024, at age 88, according to Variety. The star, whose movies ranged from the 1976 remake of “A Star is Born” to “Angel’s Sing,” which made its Hallmark Channel premiere in 2014, died at his home in Maui, Hawaii, per a statement from his family released on September 29.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 28 at home,” the statement read. “We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
According to Variety, the statement on Kristofferson’s death came from his wife, Lisa; his eight children, Tracy, Kris Jr., Casey, Jesse, Jody, John, Kelly and Blake; and his seven grandchildren. As soon as news broke of his death, famous friends flooded social media with condolences and memories of the star.
Kris Kristofferson Had a Decades-Long Career in Music & Movies
Before Kristofferson made a name for himself in Hollywood films and television, he was a prolific songwriter in Nashville in the early 1970s. According to Variety, the number one hits he wrote included Ray Price’s “For the Good Times,” Johnny Cash’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” Sammi Smith’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and Janis Joplin’s smash hit “Me and Bobby McGee.”
He also released several of his own albums and won three Grammys. Kristofferson released his final studio album, “The Cedar Creek Sessions,” in 2016 and retired from music in 2020.
Kristoffer also tried his hand at acting in the early ’70s with great success and told Rolling Stone in 1974, “People said, ‘Don’t do it, take acting lessons first!’ But it seemed to me that acting must be just understanding a character and then being just as honest as you can possibly be.”
Kristofferson’s big break in film came when he played rock star John Norman Howard in the 1976 remake of “A Star is Born,” opposite Barbra Streisand. According to People, he earned a Golden Globe for best actor in 1977 for the movie, which was remade again in 2019 with Bradley Cooper in his role. Kristofferson appeared in dozens of other movies throughout his career, per IMDb, including 1998’s “Blade,” 1999’s “Payback,” and Disney’s “Where the Red Fern Grows” in 2003.
In 2013, he appeared as Harry Connick Jr.‘s father in “Angel Sings,” alongside fellow country legends Lyle Lovett and Willie Nelson. The movie was released in a limited number of theaters, according to USA Today, but found new life the following year when Hallmark Channel made the movie one of its Countdown to Christmas premieres in 2014.
In an Instagram post uploaded shortly after Kristofferson’s family released their statement, Connick Jr. wrote, “to my friend, the brilliant @kristofferson – i had the honor of knowing you, learning from you, and playing your son in three films… thank you for your kindness and your wisdom… your art will continue to bring joy to all forever… i love you”
Famous Friends Pay Tribute to Kris Kristofferson
Kristofferson was looked up to by many in entertainment for not only his talent, but his authenticity and dedication to the arts.
When Men’s Journal’s asked him in 2017 the secret to life, he replied, “I had a list of rules I made up one time. It says: Tell the truth, sing with passion, work with laughter, and love with heart. Those are good to start with anyway.”
In reaction to his death, Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young tweeted, “Kris Kristofferson believed creativity is God-given, and those who ignore such a gift are doomed to unhappiness. He preached that a life of the mind gives voice to the soul, and his work gave voice not only to his soul but to ours. He leaves a resounding legacy.”
Singer LeAnn Rimes, who has also appeared on Hallmark Channel, tweeted, “an epic human with the biggest heart ❤️ you will be so, so missed. rest easy, my friend. #kriskristofferson”
Country star John Rich tweeted, “So sad to hear Kris Kristofferson has passed. He and I became friends over the years, and it was a distinct honor every time I got to work or hang out with him. He was one of the greatest lyricists to ever live, and a true class act. He set the bar so very high. Miss ya brother”
Travis Tritt also paid tribute to Kristofferson, tweeting, “Sad to hear of Kris Kristofferson’s passing. He was an inspiration to me and I was fortunate to get to know him on the set of “Outlaw Justice” that we filmed in Spain in 1998. My heartfelt condolences go out to Kris’s wife Lisa and all of his family, friends and fans.”
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