Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire & More Remember Kris Kristofferson
Following news the death of Kris Kristofferson at the age of 88 on Sept. 28, tributes have poured in from some of the biggest names in the music industry, honoring the legendary songwriter and actor whose influence spanned decades.
Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Eric Church and more have shared personal reflections on the man they admired, loved and called a friend.
More from Billboard
Parton shared a close friendship with Kristofferson, with the pair performing duets such as “From Here to the Moon and Back” and “Put It Off Until Tomorrow” over the years. “What a great loss,” Dolly said. “What a great writer. What a great actor. What a great friend. I will always love you.”
Country star Reba McEntire tweeted a photo of the two together, writing, “What a gentleman, kind soul, and a lover of words. I am so glad I got to meet him and be around him. One of my favorite people. Rest in peace, Kris.”
Travis Tritt, who appeared in the spaghetti Western TV movie Outlaw Country alongside Kristofferson wrote on Instagram, “Sad to hear of Kris Kristofferson’s passing. He was an inspiration to me and I was fortunate to get to know him on the set of Outlaw Justice that we filmed in Spain in 1998. My heartfelt condolences go out to Kris’s wife, Lisa and all of his family, friends and fans.”
For songwriter Diane Warren, Kristofferson was the epitome of a multi-talented artist. She captioned a photo of the two together on Instagram, “Brilliant songwriter, Rhodes scholar, great actor, not to mention criminally handsome,” she noted in her tribute. “How often do U get all that in one human? Write in Power forever Kris Kristofferson. We are losing too many greats and we just lost another one.”
Country star Eric Church shared his admiration for Kristofferson as both a role model and a friend, writing on Instagram: “The ultimate life well lived. Thank you for being a beacon of light in a darkening world. You were my hero and my role model. And even then, you managed to exceed my expectations when you became my friend. … So long Captain. Till we meet again.”
Rosanne Cash, singer and daughter of legend Johnny Cash also paid tribute in an Instagram carousel. “Here was a man. A man I knew most of my life. A piece of my heart and family history. I expected he’d leave the planet fairly soon, but it doesn’t change the magnitude of the loss.”
Cash’s words hold even more weight considering one of Kristofferson’s final public performances was with her. The two delivered a heartfelt duet of “Lovin’ You Was Easier” at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday celebration in April 2023.
She continued, “And yet we will always have him— his enormous legacy, his resonant spirit, the lasting power of his authenticity, his staggering gifts as a poet— in word, on screen, in his being. For the last several decades, there was no Kris without Lisa and her beauty and steadfastness is a constant inspiration. I send you all my love, Lisa.”
“Travel safe, dear brother. I will always love you.”
Barbra Streisand, who co-starred with Kristofferson in the 1976 version of A Star Is Born, also paid tribute to him earlier, recalling the first time she saw him perform at L.A.’s Troubadour. Their on-screen chemistry in A Star Is Born helped cement both actors’ status in Hollywood, with the film’s soundtrack—featuring their duet “Evergreen”—becoming a No. 1 hit on the Billboard 200.
Margo Price dedicated her Substack column to Kristofferson, writing, in part, “I’m thinking about of how lucky I was to come into his orbit if even for a short time, because he was, without a doubt, one of the best songwriters to ever walk the face of the earth. Kris was, like the words of his song; ‘The Pilgrim, Chapter 33,’ a poet, a picker, a prophet, a pusher, a pilgrim and a preacher and a problem when he was stoned. He was also a song crafter, a storyteller, a movie star, a soldier, a helicopter pilot, an activist, a Rhodes Scholar, a Renaissance man, a father, a family man, a veteran and a true blue American hero.”
Read on for more musician tributes to Kristofferson below:
“an epic human with the biggest heart ?? you will be so, so missed. rest easy, my friend,” LeAnn Rimes tweeted alongside a photo of the two performers together.
“Loved this man, his talent, his mind and his beautiful heart. Journey well, my friend,” Melissa Etheridge tweeted with a photo of them together.
“One of my favorite people on the planet,” Wynonna Judd wrote over a photo of them together on Instagram Stories. “RIP @kristofferson”
John Prine’s family took to Instagram to recall the great friendship between the two legendary songwriters, saying it was “made of magic,” and quoting the late Prine on his relationship, ““Kris did more for me than anyone, without looking for anything for himself. I always make a point of telling musicians, and other singer-songwriters, that at no time did Kris ever introduce me to his music publisher or record label. He introduced me to people who were good people, and let it fly from there.”
Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello remembered the late artist with Kristofferson’s own words alongside a clip of the two performing together, writing on Instagram: “‘I was in Nicaragua with the Sandinistas. I’ve argued for Leonard Peltier, Mumia Abu-Jamal, the United Farm Workers. I’ve been a radical for a long time. I guess it’s too bad. I’d be more marketable as a right-wing redneck. But I got into this to tell the truth as I saw it’—Kris Kristopherson. Rest in peace singer, songwriter, veteran, working class hero.”
Sammy Hagar shared a photo on Facebook of the two fishing together. “heynow old friend. I hope the fishin’s good where you’re going,” he wrote. “we’re all gonna miss you. RIP”
“Rest easy Kris. Thank you for your spirit, your songs, your spirit, your compassion and courage,” Margo Price wrote in the comments section of Kristofferson’s Instagram post announcing his death. “You are one of the greatest songwriters of all time and singing with you at Newport was my favorite musical moment ever. Sending love to Lisa and the family.”
Best of Billboard
Sign up for Billboard's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
