Kinky Friedman - Songwriters, Career and Childhood
Kinky Friedman's Personal Details
Kinky Friedman is an American country singer, novelist, songwriter and politician
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | November 1, 1944 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Humanitarian, Jewish Singers, Democrats, University Of Texas, Singers, Country Singers, Novelists, Songwriters |
| Ideologies | Democrats |
| Known as | Richard Samet Friedman |
| Universities |
|
| Notable Alumnis |
|
| Birth Place | Chicago |
| Political Ideology | Democratic |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Height | 160 |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Thomas Friedman |
| Mother | Minnie Samet Friedman |
| Net Worth | $2 Million as of Mar 24,2017 |
| Sun Sign | Scorpio |
| Born in | Chicago |
| Famous as | Country Singer, Songwriter, Novelist |
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Kinky Friedman's photo
Who is Kinky Friedman?
Kinky Friedman is a man who dons several hats. He started out as a country musician and achieved cult fame for his satirical and Jewish-themed lyrics. Blessed with a great sense of humour he has the ability to drive home important messages in a humorous and lighthearted manner. Born as Richard Samet Friedman, he acquired the nickname ‘Kinky’ due to his mop of curly, unruly hair. He formed a band called Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys, and gave each of his band members funny nicknames like Snakebite Jacob and Rainbow Colours. One of his most famous songs is ‘They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore’ in which he berates a white racist who insults blacks, Greeks and Jews. A highly creative and talented man, he took to writing novels once his musical career stalled. His novels were primarily detective stories in which a fictionalized version of himself would solve crimes in New York City. In a bid to fulfill his political aspirations, Friedman ran for the position of Governor of Texas in 2006 but he lost. A devoted animal lover, he founded the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch where abused and aging animals are cared for.
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Childhood & Early Life
He was born to Jewish parents, Dr. S. Thomas Friedman and his wife Minnie Samet. He was brought up in a ranch in central Texas.
He was equally talented in both music and chess as a child. He was chosen as one of the 50 local players to challenge the U.S. grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky when he was just seven.
He attended Austin High School and graduated in 1962. He majored in psychology and earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas in 1966. He was a member of the Tau Delta Phi fraternity.
While at the university he formed his first band, King Arthur & the Carrots which made fun of surf music. The band released one single ‘Schwinn 24’ which was a local hit.
Career
He served in the United States Peace Corps for two years teaching in Borneo in Indonesia. During this time he met Dylan Ferrero who would become a lifelong friend and professional associate.
He formed the band Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys in 1971. The name of his band was a play on the name of the famous band Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Friedman had a quirky sense of humour and assigned funny names to most of his band members: Little Jewford, Big Nig, Rainbow Colours and Snakebite Jacobs.
During the 1970s, country rock music was getting popular in America. Along with other musicians of the genre like Gram Parsons, The Band, and The Eagles, Friedman achieved cult fame as a country and western singer.
He signed a contract with Vanguard Music and released his first album ‘Sold America’ in 1973 which was followed by his self-titled album ‘Kinky Friedman’ in 1974. Over the next two years he toured extensively with Bob Dylan.
His songs were a reflection of his ironic sense of humour and sense of social responsibility. His songs were satirical in nature and expressed important social messages in a lighthearted manner.
His song ‘Ride ‘Em Jewboy’ was a tribute to the victims of the Holocaust while ‘They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore’ is a song about the rampant racism that minority communities like the blacks, Jews and the Greeks face in America.
In 1973, he performed the song ‘Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your buns in the Bed’ which ridicules feminism in a concert in Buffalo. A group of enraged feminists began to fight with Friedman and the band had to be escorted to safety off stage. He was awarded the "Male Chauvinist Pig Award" by the National Organization for Women later on.
By the 1980s his music career was almost over. But the highly ingenious Friedman soon discovered another means to express his creativity. He started writing detective novels in which the hero was a fictionalized version of himself who fought evil in New York City.
He had foiled a mugging attempt in his village and the local press had hailed him as a crime fighter. This incident spurred him to write mystery novels with himself as the hero. His debut novel ‘Greenwich Killing Time’ was rejected by several publishers before it was finally published in 1986.
The novel was a surprise hit and soon garnered a cult following among crime readers. Friedman went on to write 16 more novels in the series which include ‘When The Cat’s Away’ (1988), ‘Musical Chairs’ (1991), ‘Blast From The Past’ (1998), and ‘Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch’ (2002).
He aspired to be a politician and ran for the Governor of Texas in 2006. He began a colourful campaign with slogans like ‘My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy’ and ‘He ain't Kinky, he's my Governor’. However, he lost the elections.
Major Works
As a musician he is famous for creating Jewish themed songs like ‘Ride 'Em Jewboy’ and ‘They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore’ in which he exposed the problems and issues that minority communities in America face on a day to day basis. He is also an author of mystery novels and has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Personal Life & Legacy
He was very close to his parents while they were alive. He has never been married though he had been involved with several women.
He is a big animal lover and shares his home with several pets including cats, dogs, and an armadillo. He founded the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch which cares for and helps to find homes for abandoned, abused and aging animals.
Trivia
This male country singer appeared in a nude, cigar-smoking triplicate on the cover of the Dallas Observer magazine in 2003.
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Kinky Friedman biography timelines
- // 1st Nov 1944He was born to Jewish parents, Dr. S. Thomas Friedman and his wife Minnie Samet. He was brought up in a ranch in central Texas.
- // 1966He attended Austin High School and graduated in 1962. He majored in psychology and earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas in 1966. He was a member of the Tau Delta Phi fraternity.
- // 1970During the 1970s, country rock music was getting popular in America. Along with other musicians of the genre like Gram Parsons, The Band, and The Eagles, Friedman achieved cult fame as a country and western singer.
- // 1971He formed the band Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys in 1971. The name of his band was a play on the name of the famous band Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Friedman had a quirky sense of humour and assigned funny names to most of his band members: Little Jewford, Big Nig, Rainbow Colours and Snakebite Jacobs.
- // 1973 To 1974He signed a contract with Vanguard Music and released his first album ‘Sold America’ in 1973 which was followed by his self-titled album ‘Kinky Friedman’ in 1974. Over the next two years he toured extensively with Bob Dylan.
- // 1973In 1973, he performed the song ‘Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your buns in the Bed’ which ridicules feminism in a concert in Buffalo. A group of enraged feminists began to fight with Friedman and the band had to be escorted to safety off stage. He was awarded the "Male Chauvinist Pig Award" by the National Organization for Women later on.
- // 1980By the 1980s his music career was almost over. But the highly ingenious Friedman soon discovered another means to express his creativity. He started writing detective novels in which the hero was a fictionalized version of himself who fought evil in New York City.
- // 1986He had foiled a mugging attempt in his village and the local press had hailed him as a crime fighter. This incident spurred him to write mystery novels with himself as the hero. His debut novel ‘Greenwich Killing Time’ was rejected by several publishers before it was finally published in 1986.
- // 1988 To 2002The novel was a surprise hit and soon garnered a cult following among crime readers. Friedman went on to write 16 more novels in the series which include ‘When The Cat’s Away’ (1988), ‘Musical Chairs’ (1991), ‘Blast From The Past’ (1998), and ‘Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch’ (2002).
- // 2003This male country singer appeared in a nude, cigar-smoking triplicate on the cover of the Dallas Observer magazine in 2003.
- // 2006He aspired to be a politician and ran for the Governor of Texas in 2006. He began a colourful campaign with slogans like ‘My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy’ and ‘He ain't Kinky, he's my Governor’. However, he lost the elections.
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Kinky Friedman's FAQ
What is Kinky Friedman birthday?
Kinky Friedman was born at 1944-11-01
Where is Kinky Friedman's birth place?
Kinky Friedman was born in Chicago
What is Kinky Friedman nationalities?
Kinky Friedman's nationalities is American
What is Kinky Friedman ideologies?
Kinky Friedman's ideologies is Democrats
What was Kinky Friedman universities?
Kinky Friedman studied at University Of Texas, University of Texas at Austin
What was Kinky Friedman notable alumnis?
Kinky Friedman's notable alumnis is University Of Texas
What is Kinky Friedman's political ideology?
Kinky Friedman's political ideology is Democratic
What is Kinky Friedman's religion?
Kinky Friedman's religion is Judaism
How tall is Kinky Friedman?
Kinky Friedman's height is 160
Who is Kinky Friedman's father?
Kinky Friedman's father is Thomas Friedman
Who is Kinky Friedman's mother?
Kinky Friedman's mother is Minnie Samet Friedman
What is Kinky Friedman's sun sign?
Kinky Friedman is Scorpio
How famous is Kinky Friedman?
Kinky Friedman is famouse as Country Singer, Songwriter, Novelist