Kris Kristofferson dies aged 88 as Barbra Streisand leads tribute to country legend

The statement, which was signed by his wife Lisa, his eight children and seven grandchildren, read: "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."

Known for his songwriting on tracks including Me and Bobby McGee, Help Me Make It Through The Night and For The Good Times, Kristofferson was also known for his acting credits, winning a Golden Globe for his role opposite Barbara Streisand in 1976's A Star Is Born.

Leading the tributes to her co-star, Streisand took to social media to remember Kristofferson and said: "The first time I saw Kris performing at the Troubadour club in LA I knew he was something special. 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.

"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’s wife, Lisa who I know supported him in every way possible."

The pair starred in the original '70s film as leads Esther Hoffman and John Norman, with the film, of course, being remade more recently with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in the leading roles.

Dolly Parton also paid tribute to her longtime friend, with the two having starred alongside each other in 2012 musical comedy-drama film, Joyful Noise. Parton wrote on X: "What a great loss. What a great writer. What a great actor. What a great friend. I will always love you, Dolly."

Parton had also worked with Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Brenda Lee on double album, The Winning Hand in 1982, with the album going on to reach the top 10 in the US country album charts.

Throughout his career, Kristofferson released a total of 18 studio albums and had numerous number one hits including Help Me Make It Through the Night which went on to be covered by the likes of Mariah Carey, Elvis Presley and more.

As for his acting, Kristofferson retired from the screen in 2021, with his final film role in 2018's Blaze opposite Ethan Hawke as Edwin Fuller.

Kyle Young, the CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said, “Kris Kristofferson believed to his core that creativity is God-given, and that those who ignore or deflect such a holy gift are doomed to failure and unhappiness.

"He preached that a life of the mind gives voice to the soul, and then he created a body of work that gave voice not only to his soul but to ours. Kris’s heroes included the prize fighter Muhammad Ali, the great poet William Blake, and the ‘Hillbilly Shakespeare,’ Hank Williams.

"He lived his life in a way that honoured and exemplified the values of each of those men, and he leaves a righteous, courageous and resounding legacy that rings with theirs.”