Kris Kristofferson is being remembered for his talents as a singer-songwriter and actor in the wake of his passing at his home in Maui, Hawaii at the age of 88.
His professional life, which spanned seven decades, was almost cut short by his hard-partying days on the road as a musician and in Hollywood as a leading man and character actor.
It turns out he was of the old-school premise that real artists live on the edge with their lifestyle choices, which includes the use of mind-altering substances like alcohol.
‘I thought all serious artists were self-destructive. That anybody worth their salt was going to be out there living on the edge,’ the Brownsville, Texas native told People in 1998.
He would ultimately have a moment of clarity in the late 1970s, which inspired him to curb his hard-partying ways, after seeing his death scene in the first remake of A Star Is Born (1978) where he plays a character similar in his self-destructive days, alongside co-star Barbara Streisand.
Kris Kristofferson, who passed away at his home in Maui, Hawaii on Sunday, September 29, revealed he never thought he’s live past 30 in an interview with People in 1998; he is seen in Nashville, Tennessee in October 2017
‘I thought all serious artists were self-destructive. That anybody worth their salt was going to be out there living on the edge,’ the Brownsville, Texas native said, in reference to his hard-partying ways in the late 1960 and into the 70s
It’s believed Kristofferson (born Kristoffer Kristofferson) heavy drinking habits escalated through in the late 1960s and into 1970s.
Around that time he began relationship with his with blues rock icon Janis Joplin, who had already built up a reputation for her drinking and drug use.
‘I don’t know what you call a love affair, but we were real close,’ the To Beat The Devil star said of their romance. ‘I liked her sense of humor. I was doing a lot of drinking then… And she was trying to kick [heroin].’
The Piece Of My Heart singer would lose her battle with drugs and alcohol when she died in October 1970 at the age of just 27.
While admitting her death ‘tore me up’ , Kristofferson continued on with his heavy drinking to the point where he was a self-professed ‘functioning alcoholic.’
‘For a couple of years, it was Jack Daniels, then it was tequila, then it was anything,’ he said of his ever-changing drink of choice. ‘When I was performing, I couldn’t imagine getting up and doing it without drinking.’
As the years went on, Kristofferson eventually came to a crossroads where he could no longer sustain is hard-drinking after seeing his on-screen death in A Star Is Born (1976), in which he played self-destructive rock star John Norman Howard.
During Kristofferson’s heavy drinking days in the late 1960s and into the 70she hooked up with blues rock star Janis Joplin, whose substance abuses cost her her life in October 1970; the Pice Of My Heart star is seen performing in NYC in 1968
The Texas native began writing songs for himself and other artists after moving to Nashville in 1965, releasing 21 studio albums during his career
In the heartbreaking scene, Streisand’s Esther Hoffman Howard character hovers over Kristofferson as John in a field after dying in a car crash while drinking and driving.
‘I remember feeling that that could very easily be my wife and kids crying over me,’ he said of the scene of Streisand as rising star Esther Hoffman Howard. ‘I quit drinking over that. I didn’t want to die before my daughter grew up.’
And like so many other stories of people seeing their lives soar after getting sober, the country crooner started seeing the positive effects of his life changes by meeting his future wife, Lisa Meyers, in 1982.
They became an item soon after putting down the bottle and went on to welcome five children together, which made eight kids in all for the Heaven’s Gate actor, after having had three from previous marriages.
Kristofferson was inspired to quit drinking alcohol after seeing is character’s death scene in A Star Is Born, for which he played a hard-drinking rock star who dies in a car crash while drinking and driving
‘I remember feeling that that could very easily be my wife and kids crying over me,’ he said of the scene of Streisand as rising star Esther Hoffman Howard. ‘I quit drinking over that. I didn’t want to die before my daughter grew up’
After A Star is Born became a hit in 1976 the country star began becoming more known for his acting roles over the years and into the 1980s
After leaving the army in 1965, Kristofferson moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music.
He would get one of his big breaks when he gave June Carter a tape of his music to give to her husband, Johnny Cash, which ultimately led to the legendary Man In Black to recording his song Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.
That led to Kristofferson winning the Songwriter Of The Year award for the tune at the Country Music Association Awards in 1970.
The musician ended up writing songs for both himself and other artists over the years, and eventually start becoming more known for his acting roles after A Star Is Born.
Some of his most notable films include Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid (1973), Blume in Love (1973), Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), A Star Is Born (1976), Convoy (1978), Heaven’s Gate (1980), Stage Coach (1986), Lonestar (1996), and the Blade trilogy (1998-2004).
The four-time Grammy Award winner was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.
Country star Tanya Tucker and beau Craig Dillingham got to spend some time with Kristofferson in adopted home state of Hawaii this past April: ‘Spending a little island time with a very special friend!!! Aloha!
While reflecting on how he eventually found a peaceful family life in Maui, Hawaii, the Blade actor was both surprised and grateful at how it all played out.
‘I never could have imagined this. I sit right here and think how it could have turned out so differently. I never thought I’d live past 30. I could have ended up dead.’
A representative for Kristofferson confirmed that he was surrounded by family when he passed away on Saturday.
‘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. 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.’ – The Family of Kris Kristofferson shared when confirming his passing over the weekend.
