Kinky Friedman, the nation singer-songwriter recognized for songs like “Offered American” and his fast wit in his writings, interviews and past, has died. He was 79.
Friedman died Thursday at his ranch in Medina, Texas, after a battle with Parkinson’s illness.
“Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by household & pals,” a assertion posted to X learn. “Kinkster endured large ache & unthinkable loss lately, however he by no means misplaced his combating spirit and fast wit. Kinky will reside on as his books are learn and his songs are sung.”
His property additionally posted a candy excerpt from considered one of his 1993 columns about his love for animals: “They are saying once you die and go to heaven all of the canines and cats you’ve ever had in your life come working to satisfy you.”
Friedman’s finest recognized album was 1973’s Offered American, which featured the title observe in addition to “Excessive on Jesus” and “The Ballad of Charles Whitman.”
He had a humor-filled marketing campaign to run for Texas governor in 2006. “How onerous can it’s?’ was his slogan. Regardless of being an extended shot, he garnered virtually 13 % of the vote.
Chicago-born, Texas-raised Richard Samet Friedman additionally wrote a well-liked column at Texas Month-to-month and launched a sequence of profitable novels, together with 1986’s Greenwich Killing Time, 1987’s A Case of Lone Star, 1988’s When the Cat’s Away and, most just lately, 2008’s What Would Kinky Do? Tips on how to Unscrew a Screwed Up World.
This story first appeared on billboard.com.
