OT-Jerry Reed died

[Angiekay]

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- 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.


His longtime booking agent, Carrie Moore-Reed, no relation to the star, said Reed died early Monday.

"He's one of the greatest entertainers in the world. That's the way I feel about him," Moore-Reed said.

Reed was a gifted guitarist who later became a songwriter, singer and actor.

As a singer in the 1970s and early 1980s, he had a string of hits that included "Amos Moses," "When You're Hot, You're Hot," "East Bound and Down" and "The Bird."

In the mid-1970s, he began acting in movies such as "Smokey and the Bandit" with Burt Reynolds, usually as a good ol' boy. But he was an ornery heavy in "Gator," directed by Reynolds, and a hateful coach in 1998's "The Waterboy," starring Adam Sandler.

Reynolds gave him a shiny black 1980 Trans Am like the one they used in "Smokey and the Bandit."

Reed and Kris Kristofferson paved the way for Nashville music personalities to make inroads into films. Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Kenny Rogers (TV movies) followed their lead.

"I went around the corner to motion pictures," he said in a 1992 AP interview.

Reed had quadruple bypass surgery in June 1999.

Born in Atlanta, Reed learned to play guitar at age 8 when his mother bought him a $2 guitar and showed him how to play a G-chord.

He dropped out of high school to tour with Ernest Tubb and Faron Young.

At 17, he signed his first recording contract, with Capitol Records.

He moved to Nashville in the mid-1960s where he caught the eye of Chet Atkins.

He first established himself as a songwriter. Elvis Presley recorded two of his songs, "U.S. Male" and "Guitar Man" (both in 1968). He also wrote the hit "A Thing Called Love," which was recorded in 1972 by Johnny Cash. He also wrote songs for Brenda Lee, Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole and the Oak Ridge Boys.

Reed was voted instrumentalist of the year in 1970 by the Country Music Association.

He won a Grammy Award for "When You're Hot, You're Hot" in 1971. A year earlier, he shared a Grammy with Chet Atkins for their collaboration, "Me and Jerry." In 1992, Atkins and Reed won a Grammy for "Sneakin' Around."

Reed continued performing on the road into the late 1990s, doing about 80 shows a year.

"I'm proud of the songs, I'm proud of things that I did with Chet (Atkins), I'm proud that I played guitar and was accepted by musicians and guitar players," he told the AP in 1992.

In a 1998 interview with The Tennessean, he admitted that his acting ability was questionable.

"I used to watch people like Richard Burton and Mel Gibson and think, 'I could never do that.'

"When people ask me what my motivation is, I have a simple answer: Money."

[Saint John]

I liked him in the old Scooby Doo cartoon.

[brandonx76]

Shame - but sounded like he lived a good life. Always dug 'East Bound and Down' (and the first Smokey & The Bandit)- anyone else hear an influence on the new Extreme track 'Never Take Us Alive'?

[epresley]

I saw Jerry Reed years and years ago open for (I think) Glen Campbell in Amarillo, TX. at the Civic Center. Sad loss.

[Rhiannon]

I'll be singing "East Bound and Down" in my head the rest of the day in memory of him. All those people, Jerry Reed, Cash, Faron, Merle, Dolly were what I spent 5 years of my life playing on the air. Grew up listening to it as well, Jerry was a cool dude. He will truly be missed.

PS... Smokey and the Bandit is one of the greatest movies, EVER.

[Babyblue]

Thats so sad he was great.

RIP

Jerry

[Michigan Girl]

I'll be singing "East Bound and Down" in my head the rest of the day in memory of him. All those people, Jerry Reed, Cash, Faron, Merle, Dolly were what I spent 5 years of my life playing on the air. Grew up listening to it as well, Jerry was a cool dude. He will truly be missed.

PS... Smokey and the Bandit is one of the greatest movies, EVER.

+1

[ScarabGator]

one of the great country entertainers....

[jrnyman28]

I had no idea his list of accomplishments. Well done, sad to see him go.

[StoneCold]

I'll be singing "East Bound and Down" in my head the rest of the day in memory of him. ... Jerry was a cool dude. He will truly be missed.

PS... Smokey and the Bandit is one of the greatest movies, EVER.

Let me help with the memory.

Good clip of Jerry & the gang. Boogity boogity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnRwQjTYfGI

[Rick]

I'll be singing "East Bound and Down" in my head the rest of the day in memory of him. All those people, Jerry Reed, Cash, Faron, Merle, Dolly were what I spent 5 years of my life playing on the air. Grew up listening to it as well, Jerry was a cool dude. He will truly be missed.

PS... Smokey and the Bandit is one of the greatest movies, EVER.

+1

+2

He was a cool guy. RIP

[larryfromnextdoor]

crud!!!!!!! and Reed was a MONSTER on guitar .. try to finger pick Jerrys Breakdown.... i think not..

check out Chet sweeping as well.. both are a huge loss..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni8KBhnebwE

[Angiekay]

I remember when I first started in radio, I got the crappy Sunday morning shifts with all the church services being broadcast. One Sunday, I had some down time between services and needed a song, so I threw on, "When You're Hot You're Hot". Whoooo boy...the old church ladies listening at home didn't like that so much!

[UncleKG]

A little more in-depth article on Jerry's life. The guy did everything: singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor...and was pretty damn good at all of it.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080902/TUNEIN/80902039/1005/ENTERTAINMENT