C&L's Late Night Music Club: RIP Jerry Reed
By Logan Murphy Monday Sep 01, 2008 11:30pm
Alabama Jubilee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jerry Reed, a singer who became a good ol' boy actor in car chase movies like "Smokey and the Bandit," has died of complications from emphysema at 71.
As a singer in the 1970s and early 1980s, Reed had a string of hits that included "Amos Moses," "When You're Hot, You're Hot," "East Bound and Down," "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)" and "The Bird." Read on...
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RIP Snowman.
That dude could play!
Somebody, hit McCain in the head with a stump!
Dang
While "The Claw" is the one everybody talks about, he was an extremely diverse player, the guy Chet Atkins claimed was better than he was. Check out this great performance of Lightnin' Rod: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOGiW-y-Vhs&feature=related. You can see where Danny Gatton got some of his chordal ideas there.
Redd Volkaert, one of the hottest Tele players around, summs up Reed's playing very nice on austin360.com:
Redd Volkaert on Jerry Reed
By Michael Corcoran | Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 05:44 PM
“This is such sad news,” Austin’s Telecaster master Redd Volkaert said Tuesday, in response to the news that Jerry Reed had passed away at age 71 in Nashville. “His playing was so funky, so jacked up, yet so articulate,” Volkaert said of Reed, who became better known as an actor (“Smokey and the Bandit,” “The Waterboy”) than a guitar picker later in his career. “Nobody played like Jerry Reed,” said Volkaert, who would watch Reed’s appearances on “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour” with a guitar in his lap. “You couldn’t really learn his stuff. He was like Django Reinhardt, with all those intricate patterns.”
Volkaert, whose new record “Reddhead” comes out Sept. 16, says he picked up the Fender Telecaster as a kid to emulate the Bakersfield guitars of Don Rich (Buck Owens) and Roy Nichols (Merle Haggard). Then later he heard what Reed could do with a Telecaster and it blew him away. “He was Chet Atkins on fire.” Reed’s snappy, chicken-pickin’ style on “Amos Moses” in 1971 still influences country rock guitarists. “Everybody wanted that sound,” Volkaert said.
Reminded that Atkins, considered the greatest fingerpicker in country music history, used to say that Reed was better, Volkaert said, “Even the greats have their heroes.”
Funkiest fingerpicker ever!
I've got a 45 rpm picture sleeve of two instrumentals, "Hully-Gully Guitar" and "Twisteroo." Back in the early 60's, before he recorded singing. 45 years, and I still haven't figured out some of those licks.
Thanks, Jerry, for all the good tunes.
Slow Ride @ 4:
We call it "spank," and some producer on the West Coast, when the studio hotshots couldn't figure out "Amos Moses," had to fly Reed in to play for a big star's cover of the song.
One of the best ever. RIP Jerry
Had the good fortune back in the late '60s to be at a Glen Campbell concert in Nashville...our seats were on the floor and at one point while Glen was between songs, a couple of guys standing behind my wife and I started to heckle him. As it turned out it was just good-natured jabs at an old friend and fellow, great, guitar picker, because I turned around to see Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed leaning against the wall and laughing. Glen was laughing too and when he introduced his 'protagonists' to the audience - the place went wild. Jerry was a gooden, as was/is Campbell, of course Chet was the best. Glad I was there to see 'em all together.
Jerry Reed ruled. RIP, Jerry.
Amos Moses.
that mofo could shred! back when country wasn't just crap pop music with a slight wattered down twang. them were the days, eh.
Jerry Reed was one of a kind. I had the pleasure of playing in an act that shared the stage with him in Branson, Missouri about twelve years ago.
He could make a guitar spit fire, and make it look so easy.
There will be very few others like him.
RIP, Jerry Reed Hubbard, you'll be sadly missed.
jerry reed was one of the greatest, and always came off humble and gracious.
here he is singing the city of new orleans at skippy
Lightning Rod
Damnation and Hellfire! We're losing too many of the good ones. Reed could positively SMOKE on that ol' Stratocaster of his...but here he is fingerpicking the daylights out of an acoustic while performing with The Country Gentleman himself, Mr. Chet Atkins. Bobby Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" (It's All Right)"
RIP, Mr. Reed; loved ya, guy...
Anyone know who is playing harmonica???
Jerry you will always be a legend, SON R.I.P.
RIP Snowman
Peace out, Jerry.
It would be a fitting tribute to Jerry Reed to go buy a record from one of his frequent collaborators, Dick Feller. Jerry covered 19 of Dick's songs, including the famous "Lord, Mr. Ford." He also wrote "Any Old Wind That Blows," which became a hit for Johnny Cash, and "Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone)" which was a hit for John Denver. Look through his discography, and you'll recognize a lot of songs --nearly twenty of them-- that you might associate with Jerry Reed. The guy is a genius songwriter, but he's also a first class fingerpicker, influenced by Reed, Atkins, and Travis. CD Baby has his album, "Centaur of Attention."
I was eight years old when my older brother came home with a copy of his album that had "Amos Moses" and "When you're hot, you're hot" on it (I forgot the name).
That f*&king album rocked!!!!! Rest in peace, Jerry. We loved ya!
For a minute there, I thought this thread was about Lou Reed.
As incredibly popular as Jerry Reed was, I can't believe no one has re-released his early instrumental albums. My first memories of JR are when he was backing up Glen Campbell, when Glen had a summer replacement show for the Smother's Brothers. Great stuff. He had a reputation for forgetting his own songs once they were recorded, and if you watch the Youtube clip of him and Chet playing Teles, is does kinda look like he's just jamming over his own tune, and letting Chet do the actual piece. And check out the sawed-off classical he uses on some of those early clips.Hillarious.
Underestimated guitar player, he was great. I also enjoyed his acting. RIP Jerry Reed, you will be missed.
smokey and the bandit one of the funnest movies ever rip jerry
Dang! I hate to see classics like Jerry go. He came off as genuine and seemed to have great fun playing. Thanks for all the good times and the laffs, Jerry! RIP.
His death is another senseless one caused by smoking. Waylon's too.
I went to a charity benefit in Mobile right before Martina McBride became well known. Not being into country music I wasn't looking forward to the performance. The venue was huge.. fair grounds and only a handful of people showed up. McBride and especially Jerry Reed performed their hearts out to the handful of us in attendance. He showed who he was that day. What a talent and what a professional.
eric @ 11:
Hells yeah...he was one of the good ones for sure!
He will be missed.
All that is left to say about a funny man and a great guitar picker is R.I.P. Good Buddy.
Damn...check out those bellbottoms! gimme some.
Thank you so much for all of the years of wonderful enterainment Jerry :D You were definately one of a kind and we will miss you. Say hi to Fred for us will ya? (the bassit he had in Smokey)
the great ones leave us to soon , jerry reed was the best!
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