Kinky Friedman, Provocative Musician , Dies at 79 due to Parkinson’s disease
Richard “Kinky” Friedman, the famous country singer, satirist, and former candidate for governor, died on Wednesday at his Echo Hill Ranch in Medina.
He was 79 years old. Friedman had been suffering from late-stage Parkinson’s disease, as mentioned in a post on his official social media account.
His death was confirmed by his close friends Cleve Hattersley and Kent Perkins. Hattersley said that Friedman died surrounded by his family and friends.
Perkins posted on social media that Friedman “leaves a legacy of laughter, music, loyalty, mercy, tolerance, servitude, and wisdom.”
Perkins described Friedman’s last days as painful and full of loss, but still marked by his strong spirit and quick humor.
“Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends,” the announcement read. “Kinkster endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit.”
Friedman became well-known in the early 1970s with his band, Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys. The band was known for their funny and sometimes controversial songs.
They gained many dedicated fans with songs like “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed.” Friedman also wrote a serious song called “Ride ’Em Jewboy” about the Holocaust.
In the 1980s, he started writing books. He created a series of detective novels featuring a fictional version of himself. These books, including “Elvis, Jesus and Coca-Cola” and “Armadillos and Old Lace,” were praised for their humor and creativity. Friedman also wrote columns for Texas Monthly and co-authored several nonfiction books with friends like Willie Nelson and Billy Bob Thornton.
In 2006, he ran as an independent candidate for governor of Texas, challenging Rick Perry. Despite his lively campaign and slogans like “How hard could it be?”, Friedman finished fourth with 12.4% of the vote.
He supported progressive issues like marijuana legalization, casino gambling, and same-sex marriage.
Even after losing the governor’s race, Friedman ran for the Democratic nomination for agriculture commissioner in 2010 and 2014, but he did not win.
Reflecting on his political attempts, Friedman said, “It’s finally dawned on me that it’s a far better thing to be a musician than it is to be a politician.”
After his political tries, Friedman went back to his music. He started touring again in 2010 and released albums like “The Loneliest Man I Ever Met” in 2015 and “Circus of Life” in 2018. Friedman also loved animals and opened a no-kill dog shelter in Utopia, Texas.
Friedman was known for his sharp wit and memorable jokes. He was loved by many throughout his life. Cleve Hattersley said, “He was a communicator. An unusual, but very pointed and poignant communicator. He could bring you to tears on stage. He could make you roll on the floor in laughter.”