Kristofferson’s family verified his passing on Sunday evening, stating he “departed peacefully” at home on Saturday. “We’re all so grateful for our time with him,” read the statement, which was signed by his wife Lisa, his eight children, and seven grandchildren. “Thank you for cherishing him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
Respected for the grit, emotional openness, and literary skill of his country songwriting, Kristofferson frequently topped the US country charts, and cover renditions of his songs were successful for artists including Janis Joplin, Gladys Knight, and Johnny Cash. In the mid-70s, he collaborated with filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese and Sam Peckinpah, winning a Golden Globe for his role alongside Barbra Streisand in the 1976 remake of A Star is Born.
Streisand honored her co-star on Instagram, stating that he was a “special” and “charming” performer. “It was a delight to see him receive the recognition and love he so richly earned,” she wrote.
Dolly Parton, who sang duets with Kristofferson like From Here to the Moon and Back, expressed: “What a tremendous loss. What a brilliant writer. What a fantastic actor. What a wonderful friend. I will always love you, Dolly.”
Country artist Reba McEntire remarked: “What a gentleman, kind spirit, and a lover of words. I am so thankful I got to meet him and be around him. One of my favorite people.”
Double act ... Kristofferson with Barbra Streisand in A Star Is Born in 1976. Photograph: Allstar/Warner Bros
Born in Texas in 1936, Kristofferson attended high school in California and initially aspired to be a novelist, later studying literature at Pomona College in Southern California and at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. Inspired by the emerging rock’n’roll scene, his first venture into music was in the UK as Kris Carson, though the songs he recorded were never published.
He continued to perform music during his time in the US Army, where he became a helicopter pilot—a skill he maintained (in the oil industry and National Guard) after leaving the military in 1965—much to the dismay of his military family. “I took pride in being the best laborer or the guy that could dig the ditches the quickest,” he later remarked. “Something inside me compelled me to do the hard stuff… Part of it was that I wanted to be a writer, and I believed I had to get out and experience life.”
He moved to the country music center of Nashville, where he worked as a bartender and as a janitor for Columbia Recording Studios. In the late 60s, he penned songs for Jerry Lee Lewis and country artists like Ray Stevens, Faron Young, and Billy Walker, but his solo career struggled.
A breakthrough occurred when he landed a National Guard helicopter at Johnny Cash’s residence and handed him a tape of his songs, later describing the incident as “kind of an invasion of privacy that I wouldn’t recommend.” Cash appreciated Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, and his version of Kristofferson’s song topped the country chart in 1970 and won song of the year at the Country Music Association awards.
That year, Kristofferson recorded the first of 18 studio albums he would release throughout his career. He briefly dated Janis Joplin, who recorded his song Me and Bobby McGee, which became a No 1 hit after her death in 1970. Another Kristofferson song from that year, Help Me Make It Through the Night, became a hit single for Sammi Smith and was later covered by Elvis Presley, Gladys Knight, Mariah Carey, and others.
By the time his fourth album Jesus Was a Capricorn topped the country chart in 1972, the strikingly handsome Kristofferson had begun an acting career, first appearing in Dennis Hopper’s The Last Movie. Further notable films include portraying the outlaw Billy the Kid in Sam Peckinpah’s Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), opposite Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), and with Burt Reynolds in the sports comedy-drama Semi-Tough (1977).
A Star Is Born solidified his status in Hollywood, but his career faced challenges after the notorious box-office failure of Heaven’s Gate (1980). In 1979, Willie Nelson released a successful album featuring Kristofferson's songs, and in 1982, they teamed up with Dolly Parton and Brenda Lee for a compilation of their mid-60s hits. The following year, Kristofferson and Nelson joined forces with Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings to form the supergroup Highwaymen. Their debut album, Highwayman, featuring a title track by Jimmy Webb, marked Kristofferson's return to the top of the country charts.
Throughout the 1980s, he emerged as a vocal critic of President Ronald Reagan and U.S. foreign policy in Central America, particularly during the funding of combat against leftist forces in El Salvador and Nicaragua. His 1986 album, Repossessed, reflected these political themes.
Born in Texas in 1936, Kristofferson attended high school in California and initially aspired to be a novelist. He studied literature at Pomona College in Southern California and later at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Drawn to the burgeoning rock’n’roll scene, he first ventured into music in the UK under the name Kris Carson, though his early recordings never saw release.
During his time in the U.S. Army, he became a helicopter pilot—a skill he would later apply in the oil industry and National Guard—much to the dismay of his military family. “I took pride in being the best laborer or the guy that could dig the ditches fastest,” he later recalled. “Something inside me pushed me to do the hard stuff… Part of it was that I wanted to be a writer, and I believed I had to experience life.”
Relocating to Nashville, Kristofferson worked as a bartender and janitor at Columbia Recording Studios. In the late 1960s, he penned songs for artists like Jerry Lee Lewis and country stars such as Ray Stevens, Faron Young, and Billy Walker, but struggled to launch his solo career.
His breakthrough came when he landed a National Guard helicopter at Johnny Cash’s home and handed him a tape of his songs—a move he described as “kind of an invasion of privacy that I wouldn’t recommend.” Cash appreciated Kristofferson’s Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, which topped the country charts in 1970 and won Song of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.
That year, Kristofferson released the first of 18 studio albums throughout his career. He had a brief romance with Janis Joplin, who famously recorded his song "Me and Bobby McGee," which became a No. 1 hit posthumously after her death in 1970. Another notable song from that year, "Help Me Make It Through the Night," became a hit for Sammi Smith and was later covered by artists including Elvis Presley, Gladys Knight, and Mariah Carey.
By the time his fourth album, *Jesus Was a Capricorn*, topped the country charts in 1972, the strikingly handsome Kristofferson had begun to make a name for himself in acting. He made his film debut in Dennis Hopper’s *The Last Movie* and went on to portray the outlaw Billy the Kid in Sam Peckinpah’s *Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid* (1973). He starred alongside Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s *Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore* (1974) and appeared with Burt Reynolds in the sports comedy-drama *Semi-Tough* (1977). His role in *A Star Is Born* solidified his Hollywood success, though this was later overshadowed by the infamous box-office failure of *Heaven’s Gate* (1980).
In 1979, Willie Nelson released a successful album of Kristofferson's songs, and in 1982, they collaborated with Dolly Parton and Brenda Lee on a compilation of their mid-60s hits. The following year, Kristofferson and Nelson formed the supergroup Highwaymen, alongside Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. Their debut album, *Highwayman*, featuring a title track by Jimmy Webb, marked Kristofferson's return to the top of the country charts.
During the 1980s, he became a vocal critic of President Ronald Reagan and U.S. foreign policy in Central America, particularly regarding funding against leftist forces in El Salvador and Nicaragua. His 1986 album, *Repossessed*, reflected these political themes.
Kristofferson's acting career gained renewed momentum in 1996 when he played the villainous sheriff Charlie Wade in John Sayles’s acclaimed neo-western *Lone Star*, alongside Chris Cooper and Matthew McConaughey. This role led to prominent parts, including that of vampire hunter Abraham Whistler in the *Blade* trilogy, starring Wesley Snipes.
He retired from acting in 2021, with his final film role in Ethan Hawke’s drama *Blaze* (2018) and his last album being *The Cedar Creek Sessions* released in 2016.
Kristofferson was married three times. His first marriage was to Fran Beer in 1960. He married singer Rita Coolidge in 1973; their duets album *Full Moon* that year became one of his biggest hits, reaching the Top 30 on the pop charts. They divorced in 1980. He is survived by his third wife, Lisa Meyers, whom he married in 1983, along with five children from their marriage and three from his previous unions.