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Something that most Taylor Swift fans probably don’t know is that the singer-songwriter had a nice friendship with the late Kris Kristofferson, who recently passed away at age 88.
Swift, 34, and Kristofferson first met in 2009 during the Country Music Awards when he presented the “Cruel Summer” singer with one of the four awards she won that year. In 2010, both of them performed at a benefit concert for the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame along with Lionel Richie, where Swift was vocal about her admiration for the A Star Is Born actor, admitting to the crowd that “These are the best role models I could have.” according to The LA Times.
Kristofferson reportedly responded to Swift, saying, “I just know you are going to have the most wonderful career, and most wonderful life,” according to New York Magazine. When asked if Swift had a chance at making it into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he simply laughed and replied, “She’s already in the Hall of Fame.”
The night of the benefit made a huge impact on Swift, who was only 20 years old at the time. After the performance, she ran backstage to tell her mother, Andrea Swift, all about her interactions with her biggest role models. “I felt like I was going to pass out! He said so many nice things about my songwriting … I can’t even remember everything he said; I blacked out a little bit,” she told her mother, according to the outlet.
Getty Images/Rick Diamond
There’s even a photo of Swift and Kristofferson from the night of the benefit that the Texas native liked so much he even used it as the first post he ever made on Instagram in February 2022 with a caption that reads, “No better way to kick off Kris’ official Instagram account than with this picture of him and Taylor Swift at the ‘All For The Hall’ concert benefit in 2010!”
Kristofferson passed away on Saturday, September 28, in his home in Maui. The singer’s family issued a statement on Instagram that said, “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.” The family added, “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.”
Swift has not yet made a comment about the loss of the country music legend.
