The satirical and often controversial figure, Kinky Friedman, a musician, author, and a brief foray into politics, has bid the world farewell at the age of 79. "Kinky Friedman danced his final jig on the rainbow at Echo Hill, his cherished sanctuary, embraced by the warmth of his family and friends," read a heartfelt post on his social media. "Amidst the immense pain and unimaginable losses he faced in recent years, Kinkster never surrendered his indomitable spirit and razor-sharp wit. His legacy will endure as his books are devoured and his melodies are hummed."
Throughout his illustrious career, Richard Samet, better known as "Kinky" Friedman, garnered a devoted cult following with his unconventional and eccentric take on country and Western music. The self-proclaimed "governor of the heart of Texas" unleashed a barrage of albums, commencing with the seminal "Sold American" in 1973. He shared the stage with Bob Dylan on his "Rolling Thunder Revue" and made history as the "first full-blooded Jew" to grace the Grand Ole Opry.
Beyond the realm of music, Friedman was a prolific scribe, penning detective novels and serving as a columnist for Texas Monthly. He dipped his toes into politics, running for Governor of Texas in 2006 with catchy slogans like "My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy." Despite a valiant effort, he garnered 12.6 percent of the votes in a competitive race with five other contenders.
Born in Chicago, Friedman's roots took hold in Texas, where he pursued a degree in psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. His passion for music led him to form King Arthur & the Carrots, and later Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, a band he described as "a country ensemble with a social conscience, a bizarre offspring of Lenny Bruce and Bob Wills." Their songs, such as "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore" and "Ride 'Em Jewboy," stirred controversy and garnered headlines.
As his music career ebbed in the 1980s, Friedman pivoted to a life of writing, releasing novels like "Elvis, Jesus and Coca-Cola: A Novel" in 1994 and "Kinky Friedman's Guide to Texas Etiquette: Or How to Get to Heaven or Hell Without Going Through Dallas-Fort Worth" in 2004. Alongside his sister Marcie, he devotedly ran the Echo Hill Gold Star Camp for children. Kent Perkins, a longstanding friend, reminisced about Friedman in a heartfelt post. "Somewhere in the celestial realm," he wrote, "I envision a cozy nook with a comfortable armchair, a cozy reading lamp, piles of biographies, and a few elderly dogs merrily wagging their tails to the faint aroma of cigar smoke."
