Kinky Friedman, singer and political candidate, dies at 79

Kinky Friedman, the musician who once ran for governor of Texas, died at the age of 79. Friedman was a well-known cigar aficionado and owned his own brands of cigars.

News of his death was shared on his Twitter account, which included a picture of him wearing a cowboy hat and holding a lit cigar. Richard Samet Friedman was born on October 31, 1944, in Chicago. As a child, his family moved to the Texas Hill Country and he attended the University of Texas. In Austin, he formed his first band, and in 1973, Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys was formed. Friedman played country rock, often satirical music that occasionally sparked protests and other disruptions. For example, he was the first artist to record an episode of Austin City Limits that never aired.

His music also brought him success, including several tours with Bob Dylan, an appearance at Saturday Night Live and a seat at the Grand Ole Opry.

He was often seen smoking cigars and had his own cigar company, Kinky Friedman Cigars. These cigars were produced by Habana Cuba Cigar Co., Oliveros’ parent company, and Friedman attended events such as the annual IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, now known as the PCA Convention & Trade Show. In 2013, he announced that Kinky Friedman Cigars was closing, although less than a year later, Galveston-based Havana Alley Cigar Shop & Lounge collaborated with Friedman for the Kinky Friedman Cigars Signature Series, produced at Tabacalera Carreras SA in Nicaragua.

In 2006, he ran for governor of Texas as an independent candidate. His campaign focused on decriminalizing marijuana, legalizing gambling and gay marriage, and increasing Texas National Guard troops on the Mexican border. He also promised to oppose smoking bans and other anti-cigar laws. He received nearly 550,000 votes, placing fourth out of six candidates.

Charlie Minato

I’m the editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I was previously the co-founder and editor of TheCigarFeed, one of halfwheel’s two predecessors. I’ve been writing about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to mergers and acquisitions. I also handle a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing matches, falling asleep at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, wearing sweatshirts year-round, and eating gyros. Real love.