Raymond Holford

Raymond Ellis Holford — known to many as Kriss Famous — took his final bow on Friday, May 9, 2025, after a life lived at full volume. Born February 6, 1950, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Leland and Hattie Holford, Raymond grew up in the heart of North Nashville, a neighborhood that gave him his roots—and the rhythm that would define his life.

A proud graduate of Maplewood High School’s class of ’69, Raymond went on to study at Vol State and Columbia State Colleges. But the classroom was never quite big enough to hold his dreams. The world was his stage—and music, his first love. As Kriss Famous, he carved out a path as a musician, entertainer, and storyteller unlike any other.

He played the Blues like he was born in them, spun Jazz like silk, rocked stages with wild abandon, and bent genres into something unmistakably his own. Rock, Reggae, Funk, Fusion—he didn’t just play it, he lived it. A multi-instrumentalist with a voice that could hush a room or bring it to its feet, Kriss Famous gave every performance his all—whether in a packed venue or from a hospital bed, where he kept singing till the end.

Over the years, Raymond shared stages with legends like David Allan Coe, Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, Jones World, The Exotics, and yes—even the legendary Eagles. Music opened doors that led him around the globe, but wherever he went, he brought Nashville soul, a wicked sense of humor, and a knack for turning strangers into lifelong friends.

Off-stage, Raymond had as many passions as he did guitars. He was a master on roller skates, a barbecue rib connoisseur, a photographer with an eye for magic, a collector of cool cars and cooler instruments—and a lifelong fan of “wrastlin’,” which he watched with the same intensity he brought to the mic.

Raymond is survived by his son Kristofer (Ashley) Holford and his beloved granddaughter Goldie, who brought him endless pride; his sister Delores Wilkes; his partner and confidante Elaine Alden; and a wide circle of nieces, nephews, cousins, fellow musicians, and friends who felt like family. He now reunites with his parents, Leland and Hattie Holford; his brother Sonny Holford; and his sister Mary Elizabeth Buchanan.

To know Raymond was to witness brilliance in motion—to laugh, to sing, to dance, to feel. His voice may be gone, but his music, his mischief, and his joy live on. Raymond Ellis Holford was one of a kind. And lucky are we who got to be part of his unforgettable song.