One of Trisha Yearwood‘s all-time dream-come-true moments came with Kris Kristofferson by her side. Her mind went there when she was asked of the legendary songwriter’s death and legacy.
“This one hurt. This is a tough one. This is a legend that was lost,” she says.
Garth Brooks is seated to Yearwood’s left. They talked to Taste of Country from St. Paul, Minn., at their 14th Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity. For several of those, they were alongside President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
- 2024 marks the 40th Carter Work Project.
- This week, Brooks and Yearwood are building homes for 30 families in Minnesota.
- Teasing his plans for 2025, the “Friends in Low Places” singer says next year’s Carter Work Project is the only thing on his calendar.
Related: 10 Kris Kristofferson Songs That Changed Country Music
Talking to ToC, Yearwood recalled a tribute show for Johnny Cash in New York. The Man in Black was there, and Kristofferson was asked to sing “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” a song he wrote for Cash in 1970.
Yearwood was chosen to sing it with him.
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“Just to get to sing with him was … I grew up on his music and he’s a hero,” Yearwood says.
Brooks also shared his reverence for Kristofferson, using his hands to explain how the 88-year-old’s talents were here (holds his hand high) and the rest of Nashville is here (lowers his hand).
In 2022, Brooks was given the Nashville Songwriters Association International’s Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award.
“It made me feel better about Garth Brooks as a songwriter,” Brooks told Taste of Country Nights host Evan Paul.
“Like President Carter, like Miss Rosalynn, he’s gonna live forever,” he adds, meaning those icons’ legacies will last for generations.
Kristofferson died at his home in Maui on Sept. 28, 2024. A cause of death was not shared, but family said he died peacefully.
Kris Kristofferson Dies: Country Stars React
The country world was left mourning when Kris Kristofferson died at age 88 on Saturday (Sept. 28.)
The legendary, genre-spanning singer-songwriter touched hearts and lives across a variety of corners of the entertainment industry. Whether you knew him as a Highwayman, the writer behind classics like “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” or as an actor in films like A Star is Born, Kristofferson’s impact was undeniable.
Flip through the gallery below to see country stars’ tributes to the late, great legend.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
Memorable Pictures of Kris Kristofferson When He Was Young
Kris Kristofferson died on Sept. 28, 2024. He was a man of many trades: An accomplished country singer, esteemed songwriter and talented actor. He wrote some of the biggest country songs of all time — “Me and Bobby McGee”, “For the Good Times”, “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” — all of which were hits for other artists.
In his memory, scroll through these photos of a younger Kristofferson doing what he did best.
Gallery Credit: Evan Paul