Kris Kristofferson, an accomplished singer-songwriter and actor, passed away at the age of 88 in Maui, Hawaii on September 30th, 2024. Born on June 22nd, 1936, Kristofferson was renowned for his refreshing honesty and depth in country music, through his simple yet profound lyrics. His successful career also spanned to movies.
His songwriting skills came into sharp focus with ‘For the Good Times’ reaching the peak of the country chart and breaking into the top 40 pop chart, courtesy of Ray Price in 1970. ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’ sung later that year by his friend and mentor Johnny Cash, climbed to the top of the country chart.
In its opening verses, the song effectively catches the ineffable experience of waking up with a hangover:
I awoke on Sunday morning
Holding my aching head
The beer at breakfast didn’t feel amiss
Followed by another as a sweet end to the meal.
The song paints a deeper picture than mere hangover discomfort. It speaks to a sense of spiritual desolation verging on total abandonment. The chorus portrays the character’s state of utter desolation as ‘nothing short of dying’.
Accomplished artists including Al Green, The Grateful Dead, Michael Bublé, and Gladys Knight and the Pips have covered his works. Infused with a modern romantic ethos, Kristofferson’s songwriting prowess ranges from exploring human freedom and commitment to alienation and longing, as well as darkness and light, revealing an influence ranging from John Keats to the Beat Generation and Bob Dylan.
During the 1970s, songwriter Kristofferson achieved significant success in the music industry. His song, Me and Bobby McGee, famously recorded by his former romantic interest and now-deceased Janis Joplin, achieved top position on the charts. The poignant lyrics “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose/Nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’, but it’s free,” became a hit in 1971.
Within the same year, Sammi Smith delivered a breathtaking rendition of Kristofferson’s song, Help Me Make it Through The Night, earning it a No. 1 spot on the country charts and a place in the top 10 pop hits. As a result, Kristofferson was awarded a Grammy in 1972 for country song of the year.
Kristofferson found his creative ground in Nashville, Tennessee, uniting with an equally talented group of songwriters who shared his dedication to their craft. This included legendary artists like Roger Miller and Willie Nelson. In a 2006 discussion with No Depression magazine, Kristofferson expressed that the Nashville music scene in the ’70s felt like an echo of the creative energy found in Paris during the 1920s.
Commercial radio was less welcoming of Kristofferson’s gravelly, sometimes off-key voice. However, with songs like Why Me (1973), which was a No. 1 country and top 40 pop hit, and One Day at a Time (1980), that he co-wrote with Marijohn Wilkin, and which reached the top of the country charts as recorded by Christy Lane, his imprint on the music industry cannot be overlooked.
Throughout much of the 1970s, the married duo of Rita Coolidge and Kristofferson were presented with Grammy Awards for their performances in “From the Bottle to the Bottom” (1973) and “Lover Please” (1975). The couple, who was also involved in film, co-starred in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, a 1973 western directed by Sam Peckinpah. Fascinated by Kristofferson’s performance, Peckinpah chose him for the film after witnessing his acting in Los Angeles at the Troubadour and his debut film, “Cisco Pike” (1972).
Kristofferson’s striking features deemed him suitable for film, which led Martin Scorsese to cast him, alongside Ellen Burstyn, in the popular 1974 drama “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”. His film career continued to thrive, starring with Barbra Streisand in Frank Pierson’s remake of “A Star Is Born”. His outstanding performance therein garnered him a Golden Globe Award in 1977.
Over a span of four decades, Kristofferson made appearances in more than 50 films, including the 1980 film “Heaven’s Gate” and the Oscar-nominated 1996 film “Lone Star” by John Sayles. Although the idea of singer-songwriters achieving film stardom is usually unconventional, Kristofferson broke this norm with his charismatic presence on screen.
“The Highwayman”, a No 1 country single in 1985 by The Highwaymen supergroup, marked Kristofferson’s final major hit as a recording artist. This group also included his close companions, Waylon Jennings, Nelson and Cash. In 1969, at the Newport Folk Festival, Kristofferson was invited by Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, to join them on stage. Kristofferson, who was then an aspiring songwriter, had been employed as a cleaner at Nashville’s Columbia Studios, where he spent time during the 1966 Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde sessions.
At the Newport Festival, he was so engulfed by stage fright that he nearly missed his opportunity, but thanks to Carter Cash’s support, Kristofferson was pushed into the spotlight. This key moment played a significant role in the launch of Kristofferson’s career.
Kristofferson shares his thoughts on what kick-started his career in performing during an evening that put him before a national audience, according to his statement in Michael Streissguth’s book, ‘Outlaw: Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville’ published in 2013.
Born on 22nd June 1936 in Brownsville, Texas, Kristoffer Kristofferson grew up in a family of five, with him being the oldest child to Mary Ann (Ashbrook) and Lars Henry Kristofferson. Encouraged by his father, a US air force major general, to join the military, Kristofferson excelled in academics as well as sports when he attended high school in San Mateo, California, following their move west. His talent in boxing was captured in a 1958 edition of Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the crowd.
In 1958, he bagged his graduation degree in literature, with honours, from Pomona College situated in Claremont, California. Alongside academic achievements, he managed to bag awards for his short stories in competitions hosted by The Atlantic magazine. Following this, he procured a Rhodes scholarship, enabling him to study English literature at Oxford. During his time there, he fruitlessly tried his hand at becoming a pop star under the pseudonym Kris Carson.
Finishing up at Merton College, Oxford in 1960, he went on to become a second lieutenant in the US Army. A year later, in 1961, he tied the knot with Frances Beer and served in Germany as a helicopter pilot. By 1965, he had obtained the rank of captain and offered a position to teach English at West Point. Ultimately, he rejected the offer in favour of seeking a career as a struggling songwriter in Nashville.
Kristofferson’s first attempts at songwriting in Nashville were unsuccessful, largely due to his overly proper song style that combined his former roles of a poet and an English teacher. This was stated by Wilkin, the first publisher who signed a deal with him, in a 2003 interview with Nashville Scene. He mentions how Kristofferson had to adjust his writing style to reflect a more natural and relatable way of speaking.
In 1970, Kris Kristofferson introduced himself to the music scene with his self-titled debut album, featuring several songs that had previously achieved hit status via other artists. One such standout track was “Me and Bobby McGee,” of which he co-wrote with Foster. This song initially reached the Top 20 country charts in 1969, having been recorded by Roger Miller. Despite launching other albums, critical reception was divided and by the end of the 70s, Kristofferson’s film career had begun to outshine his trajectory as a singer-songwriter.
In the following decades, notably the 80s and 90s, his music adopted a more provocative, activist essence, characterised by lyricism dedicated to subjects of social justice and human rights. The year 1999 was a challenging one for the artist, having undergone bypass surgery, followed by a prolonged Lyme disease battle in the subsequent decade. Yet despite these health challenges, Kristofferson remained indefatigable well into his 80s.
A significant moment in his personal life unfolded when he formed a friendship with acclaimed singer Sinéad O’Connor after her infamous Saturday Night Live spectacle in October 1992, where she ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II. Amidst the ensuing backlash, Kristofferson displayed public support for the controversial artist when he introduced her as an artist symbolising bravery and integrity during her stage appearance at Bob Dylan’s 30th anniversary concert amid jeers from the crowd gathered at Madison Square Garden, New York.
In terms of accolades, Kristofferson was honoured with an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004, following previous recognitions at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977) and the National Academy of Popular Music’s Songwriters Hall of Fame (1985). A crowning achievement of his illustrious career came in the form of a lifetime achievement honour at the 2014 Grammy Awards.
Kristofferson bid his final farewell, leaving behind his wife of 40+ years Lisa (Meyers) Kristofferson, their children Jesse, Jody, Johnny and Blake and daughter Kelly Marie; his son Kris and daughter Tracy from his previous marriage to Beer; and his daughter Casey from his union with Coolidge. He is also survived by his seven grandchildren. This write-up is based on an original article published in The New York Times. The New York Times Company holds the copyright rights for the year 2024.