“What a great loss”: Reactions pour in after news of Kris Kristofferson’s death
Kris Kristofferson, the lauded country singer, songwriter and actor who saw hundreds of artists record his songs, died on Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii. He was 88.
Family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland announced Kristofferson’s passing in an email, acknowledging that he died peacefully and surrounded by family, per The Associated Press. McFarland did not share a cause of death.
Originally from Brownsville, Texas, Kristofferson’s career took off in the late 1960s, when he began writing country and rock n’ roll music. After forgoing a career in the military, Kristofferson moved to Nashville where he worked as a janitor at Columbia Records and observed Bob Dylan record his album, “Blonde on Blonde”, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.
Kristofferson’s first big hit was “For the Good Times” in 1970, followed by “Sunday Morning Coming Down” later that year, which Kristofferson’s mentor and friend, singer Johnny Cash recorded. In a 2006 interview with The AP, Kristofferson spoke about the role Cash played in his own career. “Shaking his hand when I was still in the Army backstage at the Grand Ole Opry was the moment I’d decided I’d come back,” Kristofferson said. “It was electric. He kind of took me under his wing before he cut any of my songs. He cut my first record that was record of the year. He put me on stage the first time.”
While Kristofferson did sing himself, his greatest hits were those performed by others, including Ray Price singing “For the Good Time”, Janis Joplin howling “Me and Bobby McGee”, and the Grateful Dead, Michael Bublé, Gladys Knight and the Pips and Al Green all bringing his music to life.
