Kinky Friedman has died aged 79, as relatives say the musician ‘endured tremendous pain and unthinkable loss’ in recent years

MUSICIAN Richard “Kinky” Friedman has died at age 79.

The news was announced on its page X on June 27th.

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“Kinky Friedman stepped into a rainbow in his beloved Echo Hill, surrounded by family and friends,” he said. to read.

“Kinkster has endured tremendous pain and unthinkable losses in recent years, but he has never lost his fighting spirit and quick thinking.”

“Kinky will live as long as his books are read and his songs sung,” the post concluded.

He was also a writer and alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin.

The exact date of his death was not listed.

Kinky also ran as an independent candidate in the 2006 Texas gubernatorial election.

He won 12 percent of the vote, placing fourth in the six-person race.

MUSICAL CAREER

Kinky formed his first band, King Arthur & the Carrots, while in college.

They recorded just one song, Schwinn 24/Beach Party Boo Boo, in 1966.

King Arthur & The Carrots mocked surf music.

Richard formed his second band, Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys, in 1973.

The band did not stay together for long and Kinky released their first self-titled album in 1974.

Over the next two years, Kinky toured with Bob Dylan.

After the tour, he appeared on Season 2, Episode 5 of Saturday Night Live as a musical guest.

Books by Richard ‘Kinky’ Friedman

In addition to careers in music and politics, Kinky was also a writer. He wrote columns for Texas Monthly as well as novels.

Friedman’s Eccentric Mysteries

• Time of Death in Greenwich (1986)
• A Lone Star Affair (1987)
• When the Cat Goes Away (1988)
• Frequent Flyer (1989)
• Musical Chairs (1991)
• Elvis, Jesus and Coca-Cola (1993)
• Armadillos and Old Lace (1994)
• God Bless John Wayne (1995)
• J. Edgar Hoover’s Love Song (1996)
• Run Over (1997)
• Blast from the Past (1998)
• Spanking Watson (1999)
• The Mile High Club (2000)
• Stepping on a Rainbow (2001)
• Meanwhile, Back to the Ranch (2002)
• Curse of the Missing Doll Head (2003)
• The Prisoner of Vandam Street (2004)
• Ten Little New Yorkers (2005)

Other novels

• Kill two birds and get stoned (2003)
• The Christmas Pig: A Fable (2006)

The musician went on a headlining world tour in 2011.

Kinky has released 18 albums, and their latest, Circus of Life, was released in 2018.

OTHER VENTURES

After Richard’s music career stalled in the 1980s, he began writing.

He primarily wrote detective novels, which feature a fictionalized version of himself and references to his song lyrics.

The character fights crime in New York City while telling jokes, dispensing wisdom, recipes and charm.

He sees himself as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes.

Kinky wrote two novels that did not feature the character Kinky Friedman – Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned and The Christmas Pig.

From 2001 to 2005, Richard also wrote a regular column for Texas Monthly.

The column was suspended when he ran for governor in 2006.

However, two years later, the publication brought back its bimonthly column.

Before running for governor, Richard ran for justice of the peace in Kerrville, Texas as a Republican, but lost in 1986.

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