Kinky Friedman passes away at 79

A message posted on his X account said, "Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends. Kinkster endured tremendous pain & 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."

Friedman formed Kinky Friedman & The Texas Jewboys in the 1970's, a satirical country band. Among their best-known songs were "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore" and "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns into Bed."

Friedman also entered politics. He ran for governor of Texas in 2006 against Rick Perry and came in fourth with almost 13 percent of the vote. He also twice ran for Agricultural Commissioner in Texas.

Friedman was born in Chicago on Oct. 31, 1944. His family moved to the Texas Hill Country when Friedman was young. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1966, majoring in psychology. He formed his first band while a student there, King Arthur & the Carrots, which released one single.

The Texas Jewboys were his second band. The moniker was thought to be a takeoff of Bob Willis and His Texas Playboys.

Coming on the scene where country rock was gaining popularity, Friedman was signed to ABC Records, releasing a self-titled disc in 1974. He toured with Bob Dylan in 1975-76.

Friedman continued releasing albums on a variety of labels including Epic/CBS and New West with "Circus of Life" from 2018 his most recent.

Friedman turned to writing detective novels in the 1990s. He made a fictionalized version of himself as a New York City detective.

Cary Baker, who worked with Friedman as his music publicist off and on for a decade, said on Facebook, "Once God created Kinky, he broke the mold: Singer, songwriter, author, ill-fated politician, devoted dog rescuer, underprivileged children's camp sponsor, craft vodka magnate, stogie chomper, homo erectus, Chicagoan, Philadelphian, Texas Jewboy...Kinky wore many hats and lived on his own terms (and in his own dimension) every step of the way. Till we meet again, old friend!"