Kinky Friedman, Texas Music Maverick and Cultural Icon, Dead at 79
via FOX 2 Detroit / YouTube
Kinky Friedman, a one-of-a-kind country singer-songwriter, novelist, and political figure, passed away at 79 in his Texas home.
“Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends,” read a heartfelt statement. Despite recent pain and loss, Kinky’s spirit and humor never waned. His books and music ensure his legacy endures. The Texas Tribune attributes his passing to Parkinson’s disease.
His unique flair made him a beloved oddity in various circles. Described by friend Taj Mahal as having “fearless Texas chutzpah,” Kinky made waves with his writings, music, and even while campaigning for governor of Texas in 2006, capturing 12 percent of the votes. Known for his humor, he famously quipped, “When I die, I’m going to be cremated and the ashes are to be thrown in Rick Perry’s hair.”
From Texas Roots to Nashville Stardom
Born in 1944 to progressive parents in Chicago, he was raised in Houston. Kinky’s early life was spent at Echo Hill Ranch, a family-run summer camp he would call home. His journey took him from Austin, where he went to school, to serving in the Peace Corps in Borneo, before setting his sights on the Nashville music scene.
To cope with stage fright, he adopted his Kinky moniker from a college nickname. As he quick-wittedly shared with biographer Mary Lou Sullivan, he felt his birth name didn’t suit a bold country artist. As Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, he integrated rock into country music and earned a spot on “Saturday Night Live.”
His 1973 album “Sold American” was a perfect showcase of his fearless spirit, often challenging societal norms and even Nelson and Jennings, his outlaw country peers. Mickey Raphael, a harmonicist and friend, recounted to Rolling Stone in 2018 that Kinky’s humor was sharp, sometimes risky, and while he appreciated the joke, he admittedly kept his distance.
View this post on Instagram
A Renaissance Man: Kinky Friedman’s Multifaceted Later Years
When music success plateaued, Kinky transitioned to writing novels and, in 2001, started his Texas Monthly column. His unique personality shone through his writing, which was laced with his classic one-liners like “Friedman’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” His presence was undeniable, evident in his charismatic campaigns for governor where he tossed out zingers and sold talking action figures.
Years later, in 2018, he made a return to music with “Circus of Life,” presenting heartfelt folk songs that revealed a tender side. Reflecting on self-protection from suffering, he contemplated to Rolling Stone about the benefits of an alter ego.
Friedman dedicated much of his later life to animal welfare, founding Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in 1998. Living with his rescue dogs and hummingbirds at Echo Hill Ranch, he continued to create music, even as health challenges emerged.
On his passing, his estate shared words from a 1993 column, capturing his love for animals: “They say when you die and go to heaven, all the dogs and cats you’ve ever had in your life come running to meet you.”
