Farewell to Kris Kristofferson, a Modern Renaissance Man

With news of the death of Kris Kristofferson at the age of 88, the world feels like a far less interesting place. Kristofferson is one of those towering figures whose life excelled in multiple dimensions. As a musician, he helped reinvent country music; as an actor, he gave understated performances in a host of landmark films. But those two careers weren’t the extent of Kristofferson’s life experiences: he was also a storied college athlete, served in the U.S. Army and was a Rhodes Scholar. Some people lead interesting lives; Kristofferson’s seemed to span multitudes.

According to Chris Morris at Variety, Kristofferson died at home in Hawaii on Saturday, his family by his side.

In a tribute to Kristofferson on social media, writer Eric Alper neatly summarized Kristofferson’s artistic range. “If you ever hummed ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ or found solace in ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,’ then you’ve felt the genius of Kris Kristofferson,” Alper wrote. “A legend in both country music & Hollywood.”

Alper’s tribute makes one thing clear: both as a musician in his own right and a songwriter, Kristofferson was hugely talented. His songs have been performed by the likes of Janis Joplin, Al Green, Johnny Cash and Gladys Knight and the Pipps. His music has been honored by the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Country Music Association Awards and the Grammys; he announced his retirement in 2021.

In a statement, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young wrote warmly of Kristofferson’s legacy. “He preached that a life of the mind gives voice to the soul, and his work gave voice not only to his soul but to ours,” Young wrote. “He leaves a resounding legacy.”

Kristofferson’s work as an actor included performances in the 1976 version of A Star is Born, the Martin Scorsese-directed Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and John Sayles’s Lone Star. He excelled in playing complex characters, whether heroes or villains; in the 21st century, his work encompassed everything from a supporting role in the Blad triogy to the political satire Silver City, which reunited him with Sayles.

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In a 2009 profile for Rolling Stone, Ethan Hawke described Kristofferson as “cut from a thicker, more intricate cloth than most celebrities today.” In that same piece, Kristofferson looked back over the ups and downs of his career, and reflected on how he had managed to pull through some of his bleaker moments.

“Through it all I could still find reasons to write and go out and sing,” Kristofferson told Hawke. “I became unmarketable in music and film at the same time — but I was still experiencing enough joy just from the creative act.” It’s notable for both its candor and its wisdom, two qualities Kristofferson had in abundance.