Posted on 06/27/2024 10:37:24 AM PDT by Round Earther
Kinky Friedman, a singer, songwriter, humorist and sometime politician who with his band, the Texas Jewboys, developed an ardent following among alt-country music fans with songs like “They Don’t Make Jews Like Jesus Anymore” — and whose biting cultural commentary earned him comparisons with Will Rogers and Mark Twain — died on Wednesday at his ranch near Austin, Texas. He was 79.
Little Jewford, a member of his band and a longtime friend, confirmed the death. He did not specify a cause, but he said that Mr. Friedman had been ill in recent months.
Mr. Friedman occupied a singular spot on the fringes of American popular culture, alongside acts like Jello Biafra, the Dead Milkmen and Mojo Nixon.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Yes they were! Saw him a few times back then..
He actually wrote several, though to be fair they were pretty much the same book each time. It was a pretty good book however.
Was always my answer to “who is the most famous member of the University of Texas honors program?”
Wow. Didn't hear about that.
Elvis needs boats.
RIP both of you guys.
IIRC, he was also a pal of GW Bush way back when.
‘Pearls in the Snow’ is a tribute album by various country music stars.
R.I.P.
Imus used to mention him often.
Funny guy when it was OK to be funny.
Funny guy when it was OK to be funny.
They can’t write songs named “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore”anymore.
Very beloved in Texas, where people used to think highly of unusual and snarky individuals. Don’t know if it’s still that way. He had big respect in the music community. People who didn’t agree with him generally respected him too.
Great line.
I have a large Cuban cigar collection.
I explain that I smoke cigars from people who stole their land and I do so on property we stole from the Indians.
;-)
Yeah, that’s how he was living. I asked Google about any hit records:
“In music, Friedman never had a hit record, but the title track from his 1973 debut album Sold American cracked the Top 70 of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, and his eponymous sophomore LP dented the Billboard 200 the following year.”
*
“I explain that I smoke cigars from people who stole their land and I do so on property we stole from the Indians.”
When it comes to Indians I tell people we didn’t steal the land, we conquered it, just like everywhere else where it’s worth living has been conquered.
I remember him from Imus.
Yeah. I only read one, the first. Greenwich Killing Time. (I looked it up).
Your comment made me remember I think I did read the second, but, yes, it was the same, didn’t like it. Didn’t pay any more attention to him after that.
The Asshole from El Paso was a song of his I think.
It’s “down home.” I don’t know if it’s his house. It could be a vacation shack or a friend’s house where they’d “pick ’n’ grin.”
I suspect he now knows that Elvis isn't everywhere.
When he ran for governor, he had one the best ever campaign slogans.
“Kinky for Governor. Why the Hell Not?”
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