Singer-songwriter and satirist Kinky Friedman has died. He was 79.
A press release posted to Friedman’s X account confirmed his loss of life on Thursday.
“Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by household & pals. Kinkster endured great ache & unthinkable loss lately however he by no means misplaced his preventing spirit and fast wit,” the assertion learn on the social media platform.
“Kinky will dwell on as his books are learn and his songs are sung,” the message concluded.
The reason for loss of life has but to be revealed.
His good friend Kent Perkins confirmed that Friedman died at house in his sleep Thursday.
“He leaves a legacy of laughter, music, loyalty, mercy, tolerance, servitude, and knowledge,” Perkins wrote on Fb. “He was well-known as a best-selling writer, humorist, songwriter, and singer. However we, his shut family and friends, knew him as a rescuer of undesirable canines and cats, a compassionate, philanthropic, soft-spoken man who devoted a lot of his life to serving others much less lucky.”
Perkins added, “I discovered quite a bit from Kinky. I by no means met a extra sincere, witty, selfless, beneficiant, or honest particular person than Richard Samet ‘Kinky’ Friedman.”
Friedman, whose actual title was Richard Friedman, grew up in Texas and fashioned his first band, King Arthur & the Carrots, when he was a pupil on the College of Texas.
He fashioned his second band, Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, in 1973.
The identical 12 months, Friedman dropped his first solo album, “Bought American,” and have become a profitable nation and western singer.
He continued releasing music till 2018.
A few of his best-known songs included “Bought American,” “Honky City Heroes,” “Journey ’em Jewboy,” “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “The Ballad of Charles Whitman.”
He toured with Bob Dylan from 1975 to 1976.
Friedman claimed that he was the primary Jewish particular person to take the stage on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
After his music profession peaked, Friedman grew to become a heavy cocaine consumer within the Eighties. “It was not the spotlight of my life,” he advised Rolling Stone in 2018.
In 2006, he ran for governor of Texas on the unbiased ticket.
One in all his marketing campaign slogans was “My Governor Is a Jewish Cowboy.”
He acquired 12% of the vote, dropping to Rick Perry.
“I obtained my final will and testomony labored out,” Friedman saidn in 2014. “Once I die, I’m going to be cremated and the ashes are to be thrown in Rick Perry’s hair.”
He seemed again on the election in his 2018 interview with Rolling Stone.
“All of my f–king brains; it’s proper there … If I had gotten a f–king talking-action determine to each single Texan, I’d have gained the election,” mentioned Friedman. “We in all probability would have had a scandal-ridden administration. Let’s face it.”
Along with being a well-known musician, Friedman was additionally an writer.
He wrote detective novels and was a columnist at Texas Month-to-month.