Kinky Friedman, the offbeat humorist and alt-country musician with the Texas Jewboys, has died, bandmate Little Jewford has confirmed. The New York Times. “Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow in his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family and friends,” read a statement posted on the late artist's social media. “Kinkster has endured tremendous pain and unimaginable loss in recent years, but he has never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.” Friedman was 79 years old.
Born Richard Samet Friedman on Halloween 1944, he was raised by his parents—both children of Russian Jewish immigrants—in Chicago, Illinois, before the family moved to the Texas Hill Country when Friedman was a small boy. While studying psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, Friedman formed his first band, the surf-rock parody band King Arthur & the Carrots, whetting his appetite for satirical music. He graduated in 1966 with his bachelor's degree and the nickname “Kinky”, given to him by fellow student and musician Chinga Chavin for his curly hair.
In 1973, he started Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, a country rock band that parodies taboo and everyday topics. Friedman first found underground fame as a Western singer, and a charming Commander Cody (of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen) connected him to Vanguard Music, on which Friedman released his debut album. Sold American. Next year, Kinky Friedman, the highest-charting album of his career, was released on ABC Records. After liberation Lasso from El Pasoin 1976, Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys were invited to open the second leg of Bob Dylan's famous Rolling Thunder Revue tour.
With Texas Jews, Friedman regularly sang about pride in his Jewish heritage, often channeled through jokes (“They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore”) and occasional sober tributes (“Ride 'Em Jewboy” ). His lyrics also took aim at social prejudice (“We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to You”), mass shootings (“The Ballad of Charles Whitman”) and feminism (“Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns into Bed ”), among other topics.
While Friedman's lyrics were intended to poke fun at subjects, not everyone was laughing. During a 1973 concert in Buffalo, New York, a group of women whom Friedman described as “bad lesbians” fought with his band during the performance of “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns into Bed,” forcing the show to end early. Later that year, the National Organization for Women awarded Friedman its Male Chauvinist Pig Award, much to his delight. Two years later, Buffy Sainte-Marie burst onto the stage at Friedman's San Francisco show to grab the war bonnet from his head. Friedman had worn the outfit while performing “Miss Nickelodeon,” a song that parodied Native Americans.
