Esteemed country singer passed away this morning at his residence in Texas.

“Kinky’s legacy will endure through the pages of his books and the melodies of his songs,” the statement expressed. Born John, he attended the University of Texas at Austin. The exact date of his passing was not specified. Additionally, Kinky pursued the governorship of Texas as an independent candidate in 2006, securing 12% of the vote and finishing fourth out of six candidates.

MUSIC PROFILE: At UT, Kinky founded his first band, King Arthur & the Carrots, which produced their lone record in 1966 titled “Schwinn 24/Beach Party Boo Boo,” poking fun at surf music. Later, in 1973, he formed Ginky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys. Though short-lived, they released Kinky’s self-titled album in 1974.

After two years, Kinky joined Bob Dylan on tour. Following the tour, he appeared as a musical guest on Season 2 of Saturday Night Live. In 2011, he embarked on a global tour as the headlining act. Kinky has released 18 albums to date, with his latest, “Circus of Life,” debuting in 2018. Moving forward, when Richard’s music career stalled in the 1980s, he transitioned into writing.

He primarily authored detective novels that feature fictionalized versions of himself and incorporate lyrics from his songs. Set in New York City, his character battles crime while interspersing jokes, offering advice, sharing recipes, and exuding charm. In his imagination, he embodies a contemporary Sherlock Holmes. Notably, Kinky Friedman did not make appearances in “Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned” or “The Christmas Pig,” despite being the author of these two books. Moreover, he maintained a regular column for Texas Monthly from 2001 to 2005.

He suspended his column upon entering the gubernatorial race in 2006. However, two years later, the newspaper revived his column on a bimonthly basis. In 1986, prior to his gubernatorial candidacy, Richard ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for Justice of the Peace in Kerrville, Texas.