Singer-songwriter Kinky Friedman passes away at 79

Washington [US], June 28 (ANI): American singer-songwriter, novelist, and satirist Kinky Friedman has passed away at the age of 79. His death was confirmed on his official social media handle, reported People.

“Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends. Kinkster endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung,” reads the post on X.

Friedman’s friend, Cleve Hattersley, also confirmed his death, stating that the musician (actual name Richard Samet Friedman) had Parkinson’s disease.

Friedman, born in Chicago, was known for his eccentricity. He was noted for his sharp one-liners and humour, and he was always seen wearing a cowboy hat and holding a cigar. He befriended several U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and considered music superstars such as Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson as his friends.

During his active years, Friedman amassed a sizable repertoire, including albums such as 1973’s Sold American and 1976’s Lasso from El Paso, and adopted an unusual approach to country music, earning him a cult following among alt-country music enthusiasts. According to the New York Times, he was a member of the Texas Jewboys, a band that toured extensively in the 1970s, including a performance with Dylan. However, the “Resurrection” singer established a reputation for himself outside of the music industry.

Years ago, Friedman became a prolific writer, releasing multiple detective novels in the 1980s and 1990s. He formerly wrote for Rolling Stone and Texas Monthly.

Amid news of his death, Friedman’s close friend, Kent Perkins, penned a heartfelt tribute on Facebook to honour his life and legacy.

“My great friend for half a century, Kinky Friedman, slipped away peacefully at home in his sleep early this morning,” Perkins began in a post. “He leaves a legacy of laughter, music, loyalty, mercy, tolerance, servitude, and wisdom.”

He also wrote that Friedman was known among friends and family for being a “compassionate, philanthropic, soft-spoken man who devoted much of his life to serving others less fortunate,” adding that the singer and his sister, Marcie, founded the Echo Hill Ranch Gold Star Camp for young boys and girls.

“‘The Kinkster’ left his mark on this planet, in an excellent way,” Perkins continued. “He was friends with Presidents, homeless vagrants, and every type of human being in between; all people were of equal value to him. His heroes included Moses, Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Winston Churchill.”

Perkins shared that Friedman performed onstage “as long as he could stand up with a guitar strapped around his neck” up until this year, “and then he performed sitting down.”

“I learned a lot from Kinky. I never met a more honest, witty, selfless, generous, or sincere person than Richard Samet ‘Kinky’ Friedman. Somewhere in heaven, I’m sure there’s a quiet corner with a big easy chair, a bright floor lamp, a big stack of biographical books, and a few old dogs wagging their tails to the faint smell of cigar smoke. Rest in peace, my friend,” he concluded, reported People.