Iconic singer-songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson passed away on Saturday, September 28 at his Maui home at the age of 88. According to Stereogum, no cause of death has been announced publicly. Aside from starring in A Star Is Born alongside Barbra Streisand, Kristofferson was also a part of one of the most influential country music supergroups of all time, The Highwaymen. The group consisted of fellow country icons Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, together the four members pioneered the outlaw country genre.
The Highwaymen released their debut record Highwayman in 1985 to critical acclaim, inspiring a whole new generation of alternative country singer-songwriters. They went on to release two more albums, The Highwayman 2 in 1990 and The Road Goes On Forever in 1995, the latter, unfortunately, was the last studio record the group ever released.
Prior to his time with The Highwaymen, Kristofferson released a couple of solo albums. His claim to fame came when Cash re-recorded his song “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down” in 1970 which earned Kristofferson a Country Music Award for Songwriter Of The Year. In 1971, Kristofferson acted in his first film, The Last Movie, which was directed by Dennis Hopper. In 1984, Kristofferson appeared on-screen alongside Nelson in the movie Songwriter; their collaborative soundtrack for the film earned them an Oscar nomination.
On February 13, 2002, Waylon Jennings passed away due to complications of diabetes. The following year, on September 12, Johnny Cash met that same fate. With Kristofferson also tragically passing on, Willie Nelson is now the sole surviving member of The Highwaymen.
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