The world has lost another bright star in the celebrity sky, and Willie Nelson has lost another dear friend. Kris Kristofferson has passed away at the age of 88 over the weekend at his home in Maui, Hawaii. The singer was reportedly surrounded by family at the time of his passing. So much more than just a crooner of tunes, his loss leaves the music world aching for its beloved renaissance man. He was a musician, a writer, an activist, and a star in film and television.
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 once he did… well. There’s a reason his passing has been such a brutal blow to the worldwide artistic community. 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. 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. 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. His kindness to Sinead O’Connor will forever be remembered as one of the best moments in music history.
His work as a musician, writer, film and television star, and an activist may be what makes it into the history books, but his kindness and determination to work towards justice is what has made him memorable, and why there’s an extra ache in the hearts of all who loved him.
Rest in peace, Kris Kristofferson. Thank you, and well done.
