Kinky Friedman, known for his witty humor and alt-country music with the Texas Jewboys, has passed away at 79.
His bandmate Little Jewford told The New York Times that Kinky died at Echo Hill surrounded by loved ones. A statement on social media shared, “Kinky faced a lot of pain and loss recently but kept his spirit and humor. His books and songs will keep him alive in our hearts.”
Born Richard Samet Friedman on Halloween in 1944, he grew up in Chicago until his family moved to Texas Hill Country. At the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied psychology, he formed a funny surf-rock band called King Arthur & the Carrots. He graduated in 1966 with the nickname “Kinky” because of his curly hair.
In 1973, he created Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys to poke fun at serious topics through country rock. His first big break came when Commander Cody introduced him to Vanguard Music, leading to his debut album Sold American. The following year saw the release of Kinky Friedman, which became his highest-charting album. In 1976, after releasing Lasso From El Paso, they joined Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour.
Kinky’s songs often celebrated Jewish pride with jokes (“They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore”) or serious tributes (“Ride ’Em Jewboy”). He also tackled social issues like 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”).
I think people sometimes found Kinky’s humor too sharp.
Not everyone appreciated Kinky’s satire. During a concert in Buffalo in 1973, some women disrupted their performance of “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns into Bed,” causing an early end to the show. That same year, NOW gave him an award for being a male chauvinist pig, which he found amusing. Two years later in San Francisco, Buffy Sainte-Marie grabbed a war bonnet off Kinky’s head during “Miss Nickelodeon,” criticizing its portrayal of Indigenous people.
