Country music star and satirist Kinky Friedman has died aged 79.
The Chicago native passed away after enduring “tremendous pain” on June 26, 2024, at his home at Echo Hill Ranch, Medina, Bandera County, Texas, from complications of Parkinson’s disease.
A statement on his social media pages read: “Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family and friends. Kinkster endured tremendous pain and 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.”
Kinky – who was affectionately known as Kinkster and Kinky but born Richard Samet Friedman – was known for satirising politics with his band King Friedman and The Texas Jewboys, who formed in 1973, and they weren’t afraid to tackle some taboo topics of the time and ruffle feathers; even causing fights to break out at their concerts.
Kinky also toured with his good friend, Bob Dylan, 83, between 1975 and 1976.
In 1983, he broke away from music to become a novelist and was also a humourist, a politician, and satirical columnist for Texas Monthly.
He was friends with former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and he penned a column entry about his visits to the White House in a November 2001 column for the publication, ‘Hail to the Kinkster’.
He penned many detective novels based on a character called Kinky Friedman and was inspired by Sherlock Holmes
After a while, he returned to music and his final album was 2018’s ‘Circus Of Life’.
Kinky was partial to a cigar and even had his own line, Kinky Friedman Cigars.
He also made cameos in 1978 comedy ‘Loose Shoes’ and the 1986 horror classic ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2’, in which he played Sports Anchorman.
His close friend, author Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman, has led the tributes.
He penned on X: “I lost my best friend and the world lost a giant today. Kinky Friedman was the sweetest, most generous, and compassionate person I’d ever met. May his memory be a blessing.”
Country star Margo Price, 41, commented: “We’ll miss ya Kinky.”