Kris Kristofferson was a darling of country music through and through.
The iconic singer-songwriter and actor, known for classics such as "Me and Bobby McGee," "For the Good Times" and "Sunday Morning Comin' Down," died at his Maui, Hawaii, home on Saturday at the age of 88. A cause of death was not given.
Fellow country music icon Dolly Parton took to Instagram to mourn Kristofferson's death. The two collaborated on a 1982 cover of Parton's song "Put It Off Until Tomorrow."
"What a great loss. What a great writer. What a great actor. What a great friend," Parton wrote. "I will always love you."
Even with a voice that he likened to "a frog," Kristofferson released over 20 studio albums throughout his career and won three Grammy awards.
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Other country stars joined Parton in commemorating Kristofferson's musical legacy with tributes on social media.
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Queen of Country music Reba McEntire shared a throwback photo of herself and Kristofferson on Instagram alongside a touching tribute.
"What a gentleman, kind soul, and a lover of words," McEntire wrote. "I am so glad I got to meet him and be around him. One of my favorite people. Rest in peace, Kris."
In a heartfelt X post, LeAnn Rimes fondly remembered Kristofferson's kind character.
"An epic human with the biggest heart ♥️" Rimes wrote alongside a photo of herself and Kristofferson. "You will be so, so missed. Rest easy, my friend."
Travis Tritt, who co-starred with Kristofferson in the spaghetti Western TV movie "Outlaw Justice," paid tribute to the Golden Globe-winning actor in an X post.
"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," Tritt wrote. "My heartfelt condolences go out to Kris’s wife Lisa and all of his family, friends and fans."
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In an emotional Facebook post, Lee Greenwood reflected on Kristofferson's support of him in the country music industry.
"Hard to believe my friend Kris Kristofferson has left us," Greenwood wrote. "He was successful in all areas of his life. A champion boxer, a world-class actor, a spectacular songwriter and singer, and a hero to everyone fortunate enough to know him.
"I will never forget his support for me when I received my first CMA Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year Award - his friendship and encouragement helped validate my career in country music and my place in Nashville. My family and I send our deepest sympathy to Kris’ family. We lost a giant in our industry today!"
Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
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