US singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, a country music legend who notably hit the silver screen opposite Barbra Streisand in "A Star is Born," has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday.

No cause of death was given in a statement issued by the family of the artist, a Country Music Hall of Fame honoree and Grammy winner known for writing hits like "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and "Me and Bobby McGee."

Kristofferson performed solo for decades but also formed the supergroup The Highwaymen in the mid-1980s with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.&nbsp;

In film, the Golden Globe winner was known for appearing as Whistler alongside Wesley Snipes in the vampire trilogy "Blade."

"It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28, at home" In Hawaii, the family said in a statement carried on his official Facebook page.

"We're all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he's smiling down at us all."

- Singing and acting - 
 
Born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, Kristofferson moved frequently as a child because his father was in the US military. According to his official website, he attended Pomona College in California and went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar.

He joined the army, but was still pursuing his interest in music and songwriting. He was offered a teaching job at West Point but decided instead to head to Nashville, where he began to submit songs for others to record.

He finally signed his own record deal and released a first album in 1970. He would earn success both with his own voice and by providing tunes for other hitmakers.

Cash took "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" to the top of the charts, and Ray Price did the same with "For the Good Times."&nbsp;

"Me and Bobby McGee" became a posthumous hit for Janis Joplin, who once dated Kristofferson.

"You can look at Nashville pre-Kris and post-Kris, because he changed everything," Bob Dylan is quoted on Kristofferson's website as saying.

Kristofferson sang in a raspy voice about loneliness, hard times and romance. One of his heroes was English poet William Blake.

Kristofferson would go on to pivot to acting, where his good looks led to work with directors Sam Peckinpah and Martin Scorsese.

Then came the massive success of "A Star is Born" (1976), in which he played a washed-up rock singer who discovers a new talent (Streisand).

He won the Golden Globe for best actor for the film, a remake of a 1937 movie that was again redone in the 1950s with Judy Garland, and later in 2018 with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

Kristofferson's acting career hit a snag when he starred in the notorious flop "Heaven's Gate" in 1980, and he struggled with drugs and alcohol, but he went on to take dozens of other TV and film roles.

As a solo artist, his album output tapered off after the 1980s. The Highwaymen recorded three popular albums over a decade, and he collaborated often with Nelson in the years that followed.

Kristofferson toured often until the Covid-19 pandemic, though he suffered from memory loss and announced in early 2021 that he had retired from music.

"He created a body of work that gave voice not only to his soul but to ours," Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young said in a statement.

Kristofferson is survived by his third wife Lisa and his eight children.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

US singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, a country music legend who notably hit the silver screen opposite Barbra Streisand in "A Star is Born," has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday.

US singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, a country music legend who notably hit the silver screen opposite Barbra Streisand in "A Star is Born," has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday. No cause of death was given in a statement issued by the family of the artist, a Country Music Hall of Fame honoree and Grammy winner known for writing hits like "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and "Me and Bobby McGee." Kristofferson performed solo for decades but also formed the supergroup The Highwaymen in the mid-1980s with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. In film, the Golden Globe winner was known for appearing as Whistler alongside Wesley Snipes in the vampire trilogy "Blade." "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28, at home" In Hawaii, the family said in a statement carried on his official Facebook page. "We're all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he's smiling down at us all." - Singing and acting - Born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, Kristofferson moved frequently as a child because his father was in the US military. According to his official website, he attended Pomona College in California and went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. He joined the army, but was still pursuing his interest in music and songwriting. He was offered a teaching job at West Point but decided instead to head to Nashville, where he began to submit songs for others to record. He finally signed his own record deal and released a first album in 1970. He would earn success both with his own voice and by providing tunes for other hitmakers. Cash took "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" to the top of the charts, and Ray Price did the same with "For the Good Times." "Me and Bobby McGee" became a posthumous hit for Janis Joplin, who once dated Kristofferson. "You can look at Nashville pre-Kris and post-Kris, because he changed everything," Bob Dylan is quoted on Kristofferson's website as saying. Kristofferson sang in a raspy voice about loneliness, hard times and romance. One of his heroes was English poet William Blake. Kristofferson would go on to pivot to acting, where his good looks led to work with directors Sam Peckinpah and Martin Scorsese. Then came the massive success of "A Star is Born" (1976), in which he played a washed-up rock singer who discovers a new talent (Streisand). He won the Golden Globe for best actor for the film, a remake of a 1937 movie that was again redone in the 1950s with Judy Garland, and later in 2018 with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Kristofferson's acting career hit a snag when he starred in the notorious flop "Heaven's Gate" in 1980, and he struggled with drugs and alcohol, but he went on to take dozens of other TV and film roles. As a solo artist, his album output tapered off after the 1980s. The Highwaymen recorded three popular albums over a decade, and he collaborated often with Nelson in the years that followed. Kristofferson toured often until the Covid-19 pandemic, though he suffered from memory loss and announced in early 2021 that he had retired from music. "He created a body of work that gave voice not only to his soul but to ours," Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young said in a statement. Kristofferson is survived by his third wife Lisa and his eight children. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A Star Is Born actor, country singer Kris Kristofferson dead at 88

Country singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson has quietly retired from touring after more than 50 years in the music business. 
 
The news, buried in a news release earlier this week, comes a year after the 'Me and Bobby McGee'&nbsp;singer played his last gig on the Outlaw Country Cruise in the Caribbean in January 2020. 
 
As the coronavirus pandemic shuttered live music venues last year, Kristofferson`s decision not to return to the road felt natural, his longtime manager Tamara Saviano told Variety on Thursday. 
 
"It was just sort of a slow changing of the guard thing," Saviano said. "To us on this side of the fence it was an organic, normal, `things are changing` thing. Kris is aging; Kris is 84. It didn`t feel like such big news to us." 
 
The announcement came in a news release that said a new management company would represent Kristofferson`s business affairs, alongside his son John, after Kristofferson "offically retired in 2020." 
 
Kristofferson rose to fame in the 1970s in Nashville and wrote classics including "Help Me Make it Through the Night" and "For the Good Times." 
 
He was also a sought-after actor, winning a Golden Globe for his lead role in the 1976 version of "A Star is Born" opposite Barbra Streisand. 
 
Kristofferson began experiencing debilitating memory loss in his mid-70s which his wife in 2016 said had been diagnosed as a result of Lyme`s Disease, and which had much improved. 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Country singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson has quietly retired from touring after more than 50 years in the music business. The news, buried in a news release earlier this week, comes a year after the 'Me and Bobby McGee' singer played his last gig on the Outlaw Country Cruise in the Caribbean in January 2020.

Country singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson has quietly retired from touring after more than 50 years in the music business. The news, buried in a news release earlier this week, comes a year after the 'Me and Bobby McGee' singer played his last gig on the Outlaw Country Cruise in the Caribbean in January 2020. As the coronavirus pandemic shuttered live music venues last year, Kristofferson`s decision not to return to the road felt natural, his longtime manager Tamara Saviano told Variety on Thursday. "It was just sort of a slow changing of the guard thing," Saviano said. "To us on this side of the fence it was an organic, normal, `things are changing` thing. Kris is aging; Kris is 84. It didn`t feel like such big news to us." The announcement came in a news release that said a new management company would represent Kristofferson`s business affairs, alongside his son John, after Kristofferson "offically retired in 2020." Kristofferson rose to fame in the 1970s in Nashville and wrote classics including "Help Me Make it Through the Night" and "For the Good Times." He was also a sought-after actor, winning a Golden Globe for his lead role in the 1976 version of "A Star is Born" opposite Barbra Streisand. Kristofferson began experiencing debilitating memory loss in his mid-70s which his wife in 2016 said had been diagnosed as a result of Lyme`s Disease, and which had much improved.

Country star Kris Kristofferson quietly retires after 50 years

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A Star Is Born actor, country singer Kris Kristofferson dead at 88

Country star Kris Kristofferson quietly retires after 50 years