Eric Church pays tribute to late Kris Kristofferson with unreleased song 'Kickin' It With Kristofferson'

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Following the announcement that the iconic actor and country singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson died at the age of 88 on Saturday, September 28, tributes poured in from the biggest names of the entertainment industry. 

Among those was Eric Church, who attributed the launch of his career to Kristofferson. The 47-year-old took to social media to honor his "hero and role model," Kristofferson, with an unreleased song called 'Kickin' It With Kristofferson'.

Eric Church remembers Kris Kristofferson as a 'beacon of light in a darkening world'

The 'Heart On Fire' singer grew close to the legendary country music star over time; Eric Church even made an appearance at a tribute to Kris Kristofferson in 2016.

Church previously stated that after receiving several rejections, Kristofferson's song 'To Beat The Devil' persuaded him to remain in Nashville and follow his goal of becoming a country music artist, as per Whiskey Riff.

Following the announcement of Kristofferson's death, Church took to X (formerly Twitter) to write, "Kris, The ultimate life well lived. Thank you for being a beacon of light in a darkening world. You were my hero and my role model."

He added, "And even then, you managed to exceed my expectations when you became my friend. So long Captain. Till we meet again. PS I found this on my phone."

Along with some photos of himself with Kristofferson, Church uploaded an unreleased song titled 'Kickin' It With Kristofferson', which was likely composed by him.

Church also shared a similar post on his Instagram account for his 1.3 million followers.

Kristofferson's agent confirmed that on Saturday, the 'A Star Is Born' actor died "peacefully" at home in Maui, surrounded by his loved ones.

In a statement shared with People, his family 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. 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."

Fans praise Eric Church's 'beautiful tribute' to the late Kris Kristofferson

Eric Church's effort tribute to the late country music icon resonated with his fans.

One wrote, "Absolutely beautiful. What a beautiful tribute to a legend of a man." Another said, "Loved this beautiful photo and video."

"So glad you posted these @ericchurch. He was truly an icon and an amazing man. Was just talking to my sister about him. Loved by many," expressed an individual. 

One more wrote, "Glad you got these memories on video! I know you’ll cherish them forever. RIP Kris." Another person exclaimed, "Man, he looks like he was having a blast with you. Big loss, but an even bigger life!"

Others flocked to the comment section of his Instagram post, with one sharing, "Sunday Morning Coming Down. Such a beautiful song! I truly hope Eric Church will keep it alive! If you haven’t recorded it already, you would be perfect!"

Another added, "Damn thanks for sharing this..I know he was a big influence on you." "Absolute Legend. Loved his music and his work. Godspeed, Kristofferson," declared a fan. 

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