Country music icon and beloved movie star Kris Kristofferson died Saturday at the age of 88.
His family issued a statement confirming the star died at his home in Maui, Hawaii, while surrounded by his loved ones, according to Variety. No cause of death was provided as of Monday morning.
“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. 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,” his family wrote.
SAN FRANCISCO – OCTOBER 1: Kris Kistofferson performing at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, on October 1, 2011. (Photo by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Kritofferson’s love for country music began at a very young age. He really honed in on his musical talents after serving for the U.S. army and becoming a helicopter pilot. He continued to explore his passion for songwriting while serving in West Germany in the early ’60s and formed his first band with some of his fellow soldiers.
Kyle Young, the CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, honored the star’s many talents.
“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. 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,” Young said, according to Variety.
“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,” he said.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 16: (L-R) Kris Kristofferson and Hank Williams Jr. accept Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum induction on behalf of Jerry Lee Lewis presented by CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Kyle Young at the class of 2022 Medallion Ceremony at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on October 16, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
Kristofferson made his mark in the music industry as an author of No. 1 country music hits, “For the Good Times,” sung by Ray Price in 1970, “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” Johnny Cash, 1970, and “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” Sammi Smith, 1971.
His song, “Me and Bobby McGee,” became a posthumous pop hit for his former lover, Janis Joplin in 1971, and rose to the top spot on the charts, according to Variety.
NASHVILLE – DECEMBER 30: Kris Kristofferson’s star is featured on The Music City Walk of Fame on December 30, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
His first four albums for Monument Records all reached the country music top 10.
Kristofferson’s accolades include a total of three Grammy Awards, including best country song for “Help Me Make It Through the Night.”
His good looks and natural charm opened doors for Kristofferson to expand his skills to the world of acting in Hollywood. He made his first on-screen appearance in “Cisco Pike,” alongside Gene Hackman, and several of his songs were featured in the film’s soundtrack.
The star’s acting career flourished in the ’70s with roles in “Blume in Love” and in Martin Scorsese’s “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.”
He took home a Golden Globe Award for the 1977 hit, “A Star is Born.”
Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2015. (RELATED: Legendary Actress Barbara Leigh-Hunt From Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Frenzy’ Dead At 88)
He is survived by his wife, Lisa, as well as seven grandchildren and eight children; Tracy, Kris Jr., Casey, Jesse, Jody, John, Kelly and Blake.
Tributes to the star continue to pour in on social media.
