American country music legend and Hollywood actor Kris Kristofferson has passed away at the age of 88 at his home in Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday. Kristofferson, known for his ability to recite William Blake from memory, crafted intricate folk music lyrics that delved into themes of loneliness and tender romance, seamlessly blending them into the fabric of popular country music. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.

Dolly Parton paid tribute to Kristofferson, calling his passing a 'great loss' and expressing her enduring affection: 'I will always love you.' Beginning in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas native penned numerous country and rock 'n' roll classics such as 'Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down,' 'Help Me Make it Through the Night,' 'For the Good Times,' and 'Me and Bobby McGee.' Although Kristofferson was a singer himself, many of his songs became iconic through the performances of others, like Ray Price's rendition of 'For the Good Times' or Janis Joplin's powerful version of 'Me and Bobby McGee.'

Joplin, who shared a close bond with Kristofferson, altered the lyrics to make Bobby McGee a man and recorded her version just days before her death in 1970 from a drug overdose. The recording became a posthumous No. 1 hit for Joplin. Kristofferson retired from active performing and recording in 2021, making only sporadic guest appearances on stage thereafter.

Before his music career, Kristofferson was a Golden Gloves boxer, rugby star, and football player in college. He earned a master's degree in English from Merton College at the University of Oxford in England and served as a helicopter pilot in the US Army. Despite being offered a teaching position at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, he chose to pursue songwriting in Nashville.

His career took a significant turn with the formation of the Highwaymen, alongside Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. Kristofferson reflected in 2005, 'I think I was different from the other guys in that I came in it as a fan of all of them. I had a respect for them when I was still in the Army. When I went to Nashville they were like major heroes of mine because they were people who took the music seriously. To be not only recorded by them but to be friends with them and to work side by side was just a little unreal. It was like seeing your face on Mount Rushmore.'

The group released only three albums between 1985 and 1995. Jennings passed away in 2002, followed by Cash in 2003. Kristofferson mentioned in 2005 that there were discussions about reforming the group with other artists, such as George Jones or Hank Williams Jr., but he felt it wouldn't have been the same. 'When I look back now — I know I hear Willie say it was the best time of his life,' Kristofferson said in 2005. 'For me, I wish I was more aware how short of a time it would be. It was several years, but it was still like the blink of an eye. I wish I would have cherished each moment.'

Among the four, only Nelson remains alive today. Kristofferson's politically charged lyrics occasionally affected his popularity, particularly in the late 1980s. His 1989 album, 'Third World Warrior,' focused on Central America and the impact of United States policy, but it failed to resonate with critics and fans due to its overt political content.

Kristofferson also made a name for himself in Hollywood, starring opposite Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese's 1974 film 'Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore' and alongside Barbra Streisand in the 1976 'A Star Is Born,' a role later played by Bradley Cooper in the 2018 remake. His first film role was in Dennis Hopper’s 'The Last Movie' in 1971. He had a penchant for Westerns and used his distinctive voice to portray attractive, stoic leading men.

He played the young outlaw in director Sam Peckinpah’s 1973 film 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,' a truck driver in Peckinpah’s 1978 film 'Convoy,' and a corrupt sheriff in director John Sayles' 1996 film 'Lone Star.' Kristofferson also starred in one of Hollywood's biggest financial failures, the 1980 Western 'Heaven’s Gate,' which ran tens of millions of dollars over budget.

In a rare foray into the superhero genre, he played the mentor of Wesley Snipes' vampire hunter in the 1998 film 'Blade.' Kristofferson married fellow songwriter Rita Coolidge in 1973, with whom he had a successful duet career, earning two Grammy Awards. They divorced in 1980. Kristofferson is survived by his wife Lisa, his eight children, and seven grandchildren.