Curious World Staff
Kris Kristofferson, the legendary singer-songwriter and actor, died peacefully on Saturday, September 28, at the age of 88, his family announced. “We’re all so blessed for our time with him,” they told us. “Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
Kristofferson released over 20 studio albums, with classics like “Me and Bobby McGee” (made famous by Janis Joplin), “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down” (Johnny Cash’s hit), and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (Sammi Smith). He was part of the legendary country supergroup, The Highwaymen, alongside Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson.
Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, in 1936 and grew up in a military household. As a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, he studied British literature and later worked as an Army helicopter pilot before quitting to pursue songwriting in Nashville.
His acting career took off in the 1970s, with notable roles in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, A Star is Born (which earned him a Golden Globe), and Convoy. However, the 1980 film Heaven’s Gate marked a low point in his career due to its commercial failure.
Despite that setback, Kristofferson remained a towering figure in country music, winning three Grammy Awards and being inducted into both the Country Music and Songwriters Halls of Fame. He retired peacefully in 2020 after years of battling Lyme illness, which caused memory loss.
Kristofferson’s final performance was at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday concert in April, where he moved the audience with an emotional duet with Rosanne Cash.
Kristofferson is survived by his wife Lisa Meyers, eight children, and seven grandchildren. His contributions to music and film leave a lasting legacy.
