Kris Kristofferson, an actor whose 50+ year career on screen was eclipsed by his legacy as a singer/songwriter, has passed. A representative for the star said he was surrounded by family when he died “peacefully” at his home in Maui on Saturday. “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. 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,” his family said in a statement. No cause of death was announced.

Kristofferson’s career is the stuff of legends. A Rhodes Scholar, an officer, Ranger and helicopter pilot in the US Army, he left the military to take a shot at a career in music. After becoming one of the most sought after songwriters in Nashville (“Sunday Morning Coming Down,” “Me & Bobby McGee,” “For The Good Times,” “Help Me Make It Through The Night” to name just a few of his legendary songs) he became a star in his own right, with pop and country smashes including the million selling “Why Me.”

At around the same time, Kristofferson started acting, with a 50+ year career in film that included roles in films like “Convoy,” “A Star Is Born” (for which he earned a Golden Globe award), “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” the “Blade” trilogy, Tim Burton‘s “Planet Of The Apes” and many more. In 1985, Kristofferson teamed up with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash to form the supergroup Highwaymen, who released three albums together.

Kristofferson received just about every accolade a musician can achieve before his retirement in 2021: GRAMMYs, CMA and ACM awards, and he’s a member of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, the Country Music Hall Of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. Kris Kristofferson was 88.

Source: People

Luke Bryan puts his television experience to good use as he stars in the upcoming Hulu docuseries “It’s All Country.” The six-episode series follows Bryan through Nashville as he chats with fellow country legends about their music and careers. The Season 1 lineup includes Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Lady A, Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Wynonna Judd and Shaboozey. Not only does Luke talk up his country peers, there are new performances along the way as well. “It’s All Country” will premiere on Hulu on November 15.

Kenny Chesney has loved Massachusetts for a long time. He recently proved that with more than just a shout out from the stage or a social media post. The last show on his “Sun Goes Down“ tour took place at Gillette Stadium last month, and according to “MassLive.com,” at around the same time he made a massive donation of over $1-million to several organizations across the state. While Kenny himself has remained mum about the gift, his reps confirm that he was, in fact, behind the donation. “As someone who likes to quietly give back to enrich others’ lives, this is his way of spreading the love and saying thank you… to him, it’s a gift for others, not something he wants to talk about.”  Sources say $100-thousand of the money would go to the Foxborough police and fire departments, respectively, as well as other portions of it going to places like the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

Earlier this month there were hints that perhaps the biggest country band of the 2000s, Rascal Flatts, might be considering a reunion of some sort. Now, more hints that they may actually be getting the band back together. On the website for the Patriotic Festival in Norfolk, Virginia, a tease for their 2025 lineup of artists is leading fans to think the event will be opened up by none other than Rascal Flatts. A graphic shows the silhouette of three members of a band, and it’s not a huge leap to think those silhouettes are of Jay DeMarcus, Joe Don Rooney and Gary LeVox. The lineup is set to be officially released on October 14th; the festival kicks off May 23, 2025. We’ll know in three weeks.