Singer-songwriter Kinky Friedman dies aged 79: ‘He leaves a legacy of laughter, music, loyalty, mercy’

Singer-songwriter and satirist Kinky Friedman has died at the age of 79. His death was confirmed in a post on his X account. The cause of death has not been revealed yet.

“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,” the post reads.

‘He leaves a legacy of laughter, music, loyalty, mercy’

In a Facebook post, Friedman’s friend Kent Perkins said the singer died in his sleep. “He leaves a legacy of laughter, music, loyalty, mercy, tolerance, servitude, and wisdom,” Perkins wrote in part.

“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 continued.

Perkins added, “His books are printed in many languages and their appeal is worldwide. Several of his novels included a character described as "Kent Perkins, Private Investigator." He included many of us, his best friends, in a successful series of humorous murder mysteries centered around the amateur sleuthing of a down-and-out singer-songwriter living at 199B Vandam Street, Greenwich Village, New York named Kinky Friedman.”

Kinky Friedman’s career

Friedman’s real name was Richard Friedman. He grew up in Texas. When he was a student at the University of Texas, he formed his first band – King Arthur & the Carrots. His second band – Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys – was formed in 1973.

Friedman dropped his first solo album, Sold American, the same year. Some of Friedman’s most popular songs include Sold American, Honky Town Heroes, Ride ’em Jewboy, They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore, and The Ballad of Charles Whitman.

From 1975 to 1976, Friedman toured with Bob Dylan. He claimed that he was the first Jewish person to have taken the stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

Friedman became a heavy cocaine user back in the 1980s. In 2018, he told Rolling Stone, “It was not the highlight of my life.”

Friedman ran for governor of Texas on the independent ticket in 2006. He lost to Rick Perry after receiving 12% of the vote.

“I got my last will and testament worked out,” Friedman said in 2014. “When I die, I’m going to be cremated and the ashes are to be thrown in Rick Perry’s hair.”

Friedman was also an author, and wrote detective novels. He was a columnist at Texas Monthly.