Sad news to hear that the legendary Outlaw country musician and Hollywood actor Kris Kristoffersson has passed. He died at home in Maui Hawaii at the weekend on Saturday, September 28, 2024, He was 88. The singer was reportedly surrounded by family at the time of his passing.
Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas in June of 1936. Kristofferson attended Pomona College and later earned a Rhodes scholarship to attend Oxford University. The child of a military man, he chose to enlist in the U. S. Army as a helicopter pilot upon the completion of his studies. His military career was a promising one, and yet he left the service in pursuit of becoming a Nashville songwriter. Like many young artists, he struggled to find his footing in a brutal industry, but his star rose to fame in the 1960’s and 1970’s with hits like Me and Bobby McGee, Help Me Make it Through the Night, and Sunday Morning Coming Down. His poetic lyrics made an impact on artists of all walks of life, as he became a staple in the country music industry alongside names like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and of course his dear friend Willie Nelson.
The raw nature of his songwriting and his approach to speaking to the brutal nature of life and love brought a kind of vulnerability to the country music industry that wasn’t present previously. The body of his musical work, alongside that of his fellow outlaw country music artists, has made a lasting impact on the landscape of country music that continues to shape the genre.
In the 1970’s he began to pursue a film and television career, starring in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Convoy, and A Star Is Born for which he won a Golden Globe award in 1976.He also appeared in Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, the Blade trilogy, and the video game Fallout: New Vegas. His acting career and his ability to move between the music and movie industries gave his artistic legacy a new kind of depth, and gave the person of Kris Kristofferson a new kind of authority on a national and international level. He wielded that authority well, and was a devoted activist for human rights and Native American causes, often drawing on his experience in the military to keep naysayers “in check” if they chose to attempt to discourage his work speaking up for causes he believes in.
A critic of U.S. foreign policy, he opposed wars in Latin America and the Middle East and was also a staunch defender of Palestinian rights and a vocal opponent of Zionist Apartheid Israel. He defended family farmers;.
Both publicly and privately he was a man of principle, largely avoiding scandal and always taking seriously his role as a mentor to up and coming musicians.Kris was one of the few big stars that stood up for Sinead O'Connor when she brought up the truth about the Catholic Church back in the early 90s When O’Connor appeared on stage at a Bob Dylan tribute concert in New York, she was met with a storm of boos from the crowd. Kristofferson, standing beside her, offered comfort and defiance in equal measure, telling O’Connor, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” His solidarity was emblematic of his deep commitment to standing by those fighting for justice, no matter how unpopular their cause at the time, and that forever makes him a real one,
Kris was inducted into several halls of fame, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. His last album, The Cedar Creek Sessions, was released in 2016.it earned him a nomination for Best Americana Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Kris officially retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage, including a performance with Johhny Cash's daughter Rosanne at Nelson's 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in 2023.
Kris Kristoffersson lived a life marked by artistic brilliance, personal courage, and a relentless commitment to human rights.
"Human rights is something that wasn't hard to be inspired to write about because there have been so many violations of those rights' - Kris Kristoffersson
His passing marks the end of an era, but his legacy lives on, He once said that when he died, he wanted Leonard Cohen’s like a bird on a wire’s lyrics on his tombstone. How appropriate for both he and Leonard Cohen truly lived like two magnificent birds on this wild wire. RIP. The world was a better place because of this man. He is survived by his wife Lisa, eight children, and seven grandkids.
"They're killing babies in the name of freedom, We've been down that sorry road before..."
As thousands are murdered across the Middle East by Israel using weapons supplied by his own country, Kris' lyrics and words are as relevant as ever.
