Outlaw country musician and Hollywood actor Kris Kristofferson died Saturday, Sept. 28, at his home in Maui, Hawaii, according to a press release from Essential Broadcast Media . Christopherson was 88 years old.
Christopherson was born into a military family and moved frequently as a child. He studied at Pomona College and received a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University. While in England, he attempted to enter the recording industry ​during his early forays into industry, and he returned to the United States to join the US Army.
After leaving the Army in 1965, Kristofferson moved to Nashville to try again in the music business. While working as a janitor at Columbia Records, he began to make a name for himself as a songwriter. Hits like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down” were recorded by Janis Joplin and Johnny Cash.Waylon Jennings, Ray Price and Gladys Knight also recorded Kristofferson’s songs.
Kristofferson released his first studio album, Christophersonin 1970, and he continued to gain recognition in 1971 The Devil with a Silver Tongue and Me. The following year, in 1972, Kristofferson had a stellar performance at the Grammy Awards, as she received three nominations for Best Country Song. Ultimately, “Help Me Make It Through The Night” topped “Me And Bobby McGee” and “For Good Times.” Kristofferson has also been nominated for Song of the Year twice.
While Kristofferson continued to release albums in the mainstream, he also became a familiar face on the silver screen in the 1970s Cisco Pike, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kidand more, but he really turned heads as Barbra Streisand’s co-star in 1976. A Star Is Bornwinning the “Golden Globe” award for his performance. Kristofferson continued to act into the 2010s, appearing Gate of Heavena few Blade movies, Tim Burton’s 2001 Planet of the Apesand many other productions.
Another major musical achievement for Kristofferson came in 1985 when he formed the band Highwaymen with fellow outlaw country music stars Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson Highway driver1990s Highway 2and 1995 The road goes on forever– played countless shows and filmed together Stage coach.