Dennis Quaid And Tanya Tucker Never Expected “On My Way To Heaven” To Become Kris Kristofferson’s Last Recording

On September 28, 2024, country music lost an icon when Kris Kristofferson sadly passed away at 88. Battling several health issues at the time, the singer was able to record one last song before his death. And it just so happened that moment came thanks to Tanya Tucker and Dennis Quaid. Collaborating on “On My Way To Heaven,” it would become the last song featuring Kristofferson’s voice. Cherishing their time together, Tucker recently admitted how frustrated she was when he passed away. 

Releasing “On My Way To Heaven” on June 19, Tucker took a moment to recall what it was like to work with Kristofferson. “He was having a hard time and I could see that, but you never know. I always don’t want to think about it.”  

Although Tucker didn’t want to think about Kristofferson’s failing health, she hoped to have a little more time with her late friend. “The whole goal for me was to have it out when he could be here. That’s the only God thing that didn’t happen. Also, right after that, I wanted to go in and do a six-song EP tribute to Kris because there’s really been none, but I just couldn’t get the wheels going. And I wanted him to be there when I was recording so he’d be the executive producer.”

With Tucker having a sea of ideas that never surfaced, she declared, “There’s a lot of things I want to do and when it don’t happen, it really frustrates me.”  

[RELATED: 3 Songs Kris Kristofferson Wrote That Changed Other Artists’ Careers]

Dennis Quaid Remembers What Kris Kristofferson Did For Hollywood

As for Quaid, he was shocked when Tucker originally heard his band perform “On My Way To Heaven.” While thrilled that Tucker wanted to cover the song, he was starstruck when she said Kristofferson was also going to be part of the project. 

Getting the opportunity to meet Kristofferson, Quaid couldn’t help but highlight his astonishing career. “He was an amazing person. He’d been my hero since I was 17 years old. He was a Rhodes Scholar and a helicopter pilot. He wrote the most amazing songs that, I think, will live for 500 years.  He started out here in Nashville.” 

A true fan of the singer, Quaid was sure to note that Kristofferson’s talents went far beyond Nashville. “He was the biggest box office movie star for three years in a row in the 70’s. This is when you had Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, and Dustin Hoffman, and really power heavyweights. He did it all.” 

Even after his passing, “On My Way To Heaven” stands as a fitting ending for a man who spent decades shaping country music. And thanks to Tucker and Quaid, fans have one last memory from the legend. 

(Photo by L. Busacca/WireImage for Songwriter’s Hall of Fame)

The post Dennis Quaid And Tanya Tucker Never Expected “On My Way To Heaven” To Become Kris Kristofferson’s Last Recording appeared first on American Songwriter.