The country music legend (and wonderful actor) Kris Kristofferson passed away on Saturday at his home in Hawaii. He died peacefully surrounded by his family, at a healthy 88 years-old.

In the wake of his passing, Dolly Parton and other stars are speaking out to pay tribute to him.

Kristofferson Passes Away – Parton Honors Him

“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,” Kristofferson’s family told People Magazine.

“We’re all so blessed for our time with him,” they continued. “Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”

Parton, 78, took to social media to honor Kristofferson after his death was announced.

“What a great loss What a great writer What a great actor What a great friend,” she wrote. “I will always love you, Dolly.”

Related: Dolly Parton Pays Heartbreaking Tribute To Her Uncle Billy Owens Who Passed Away

More Tributes For Kristofferson

Other celebrities are speaking out to pay tribute to Kristofferson as well.

“What a gentleman, kind soul, and a lover of words. I am so glad I got to meet him and be around him,” Reba McEntire wrote alongside a photo of herself and Kristofferson. “One of my favorite people. Rest in peace, Kris.”

Barbra Streisand, who starred alongside Kristofferson in the 1976 adaptation of A Star Is Born, took to Instagram to pay a lengthy tribute to him.

“The first time I saw Kris performing at the Troubadour club in L.A. I knew he was something special,” she wrote. “Barefoot and strumming his guitar, he seemed like the perfect choice for a script I was developing, which eventually became A Star Is Born. In the movie, Kris and I sang the song I’d written for the film’s main love theme, ‘Evergreen.'”

“For my latest concert in 2019 at London’s Hyde Park, I asked Kris to join me on-stage to sing our other A Star Is Born duet, ‘Lost Inside Of You,'” she added. “He was as charming as ever, and the audience showered him with applause. It was a joy seeing him receive the recognition and love he so richly deserved. My thoughts go to Kris’ wife, Lisa who I know supported him in every way possible.”

Kristofferson’s History

Born in Brownsville, Texas in 1936 to a U.S. Army Air Corps officer and Air Force general, Kristofferson moved often throughout his childhood. He developed a love for country music from an early age, telling NPR in 2013 that he wrote his first song, “I Hate Your Ugly Face,” at only 11 years-old.

In 1954, Kristofferson attended Pomona College in California. There, he played football, was crowned a Golden Gloves boxer and served as sports editor of the school paper. After graduating in 1958, Kristofferson earned a Rhodes Scholarship and his master’s in English literature at Oxford University’s Merton College in 1960. 

Kristofferson then joined the Army, reaching the rank of captain within five years. He resigned from the Army in 1965 to pursue his country music dreams in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I just fell in love with the music community that was going on there,” he told Clash in 2010 of the country music scene in Nashville. “The way the old heroes helped out the new guys. It was a very soulful business at the time; I don’t know if it’s anything like that now. But it was definitely the best move I’ve ever made.”

Related: Johnny Cash Pulled Kris Kristofferson on Stage and Gave Him the Best Gift

Kristofferson Becomes A Star

Kristofferson achieved country music stardom in the early 1970s with the success of his song “For the Good Times.” The track was nominated for a Grammy for best country song in 1972, and it was famously covered by soul music icon Al Green. 

Various hits followed, but Kristofferson’s talent went beyond just music. He also found success in movies like Cisco Pike (1972), Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (1973) Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), and even Blade (1998).

“I’d never even been in no school play, but I read the [Cisco Pike] script, and I could identify with this cat, this dope dealer,” he told Rolling Stone in 1974. “People said, ‘Don’t do it, take acting lessons first!’ But it seemed to me that acting must be just understanding a character and then being just as honest as you can possibly be.”

Kristofferson is survived by his wife Lisa, who he was married to since 1983. He is also survived by eight children and seven grandchildren. 

In 2017, Kristofferson was asked what his secret to life is.

“I had a list of rules I made up one time,” he told Men’s Journal. “It says: Tell the truth, sing with passion, work with laughter, and love with heart. Those are good to start with anyway.”

Rest in peace, Kris Kristofferson.

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