Kinky Friedman, country singer and satirist, dies at the age of 79

Kinky Friedman, the singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist who led the alternative country band Texas Jewboys, has died at the age of 79. Friedman, who was known for touring with Bob Dylan, singing with Willie Nelson and as a political activist running for Texas governor and other state offices, died June 27 at his family’s ranch near San Antonio, Texas, his close friend Kent Perkins said.

Perkins also mentioned that Friedman had been battling Parkinson’s disease for several years.

“He died peacefully. He smoked a cigar, went to bed and never woke up,” said Perkins, who was working as an actor when he met Friedman at a party 50 years ago when both were signing with Columbia Records and film contracts.

“We were the only two people in tuxedos and cowboy hats. Two Texans attracted to each other. He was the last free man on earth… He was irreverent. He was a fearless writer,” Perkins added.

Often called “The Kinkster,” Kinky Friedman is known for his sideburns, thick mustache, and cowboy hat. Over the course of his career, he gained a cult following and a reputation as a provocateur in both the musical and literary genres.

In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman was also part of Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976.

In the 1980s, Friedman began writing crime novels, often featuring a version of himself, and in the 2000s he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine.

Friedman’s foray into politics brought his irreverent style into the serious world of public policy. In 2006, he ran as an independent in a five-candidate gubernatorial race, including incumbent Republican Rick Perry, and launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo massacre.

Some thought the campaign was another of Friedman’s jokes, but he insisted he was serious. His platform included legalizing medical marijuana, increasing public education spending through casino gambling and supporting same-sex marriage. Campaign slogans included lines like “How hard can it be?” and “He’s not a pervert, he’s my governor.”

Perry won re-election in 2006, while Friedman came in last place. However, he did not give up politics and ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for the post of state Secretary of Agriculture in 2010 and 2014.

Richard Samet Friedman was born in Chicago and grew up in Texas. The family’s Echo Hill Ranch, where Friedman died, also had a camp for children whose parents were killed in military service.

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