Kinky Friedman to Release New Album “The Loneliest Man I Ever Met” – First in 40 Years
Kinky Friedman will release his first new studio album in nearly four decades when he unleashes The Loneliest Man I Ever Met on the masses on October 2nd. Following the release he will embark on a 35-date tour starting October 9th.
A Jewish-American, Kinky was a seminal part of the Austin, TX music scene in the 70’s when Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, and songwriters like Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped revolutionize country music with their independent spirit and progressive approach. Kinky was one of the hucksters of the movement, releasing songs such as “Asshole From El Paso” (a Texas take on Merle Haggard’s “Okie From Muskogee”), “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore,” “The Ballad of Charles Whitman,” and social commentary songs such as “Sold American.” Kinky recorded an Austin City Limits episode during the inaugural season of the series, but it never aired due to its offensive nature.
Friedman toured with Bob Dylan, played Saturday Night Live as the musical guest, but after his full-blown music career in the 70’s, Kinky moved to New York City and began writing a world-renown series of detective novels, many of them starring himself. Since then Kinky has been known as a Renaissance man of sorts, acting as radio host, columnist, and even running for elected office in Texas on numerous occasions, including receiving 12.6% of the vote in the 2006 race for Texas governor.
Over this time many live albums and compilations were released, but The Loneliest Man I Ever Met will be the first concerted studio album from Kinky since 1976’s Lasso from El Paso. Some of the songs said to be on the new record include covers of Merle Haggard’s “Hungry Eyes,” Tom Waits’ “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis,” Bob Dylan’s “Girl From The North Country,” and Warren Zevon’s “My Shit’s Fucked Up.” He also performs Willie Nelson’s “Bloody Mary Morning, ” with Willie helping to supply the vocals and playing guitar. The album also includes numerous unheard original songs from Kinky.
Kinky’s also known as a distinguished connoisseur of cigars.
BEH
August 23, 2015 @ 4:38 pm
Do you know if Little Jewford was a part of this project or did he stay in Uranus?
tad
August 23, 2015 @ 4:57 pm
I voted Kinky in ’06! So awesome he’s doin a tour.
Nadia Lockheart
August 23, 2015 @ 5:16 pm
Kinky Friedman is the ONLY candidate I’ve EVER contributed money to, to this day! =)
I donated $40 to his gubernatorial bid in 2006, and still have the talking action figure his staff provided each donor in return! =)
*
As for his music, I was wondering if we’d even get new studio material from him. I don’t have any of his proper studio albums, but I have a compilation of his most memorable cuts from years of prolific touring. Sometimes his style of humor isn’t quite my thing and I understand why it rub others off as chauvinistic and/or racist, but I’ve personally never gotten the sense it toed the line into mean-spiritedness and was more intended as wry social commentary. It’s just an acquired taste, much like Cards Against Humanity.
Dusty
August 23, 2015 @ 7:15 pm
I like the Kinky songs I’ve heard and if anything on this new album is as good as “Sold American” or “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Services to You” then we’re all in for a treat. It’s a shame we haven’t had anything new from him since the 1970s.
Almost Out of Gas
August 23, 2015 @ 7:27 pm
Sounds like Kinky alright.
TX MUSIC JIM
August 23, 2015 @ 8:22 pm
Kinky would have made a fun Governor. Look forward to hearing the new record. I bet the live shows will be killer!!!
Flying J
August 24, 2015 @ 2:50 am
Well hell, if he covers Tom Waits and Warren Zevon I’m in.
Mule
August 24, 2015 @ 6:58 am
The tribute album Pearls In The Snow is a must-have for anyone needing an introduction to Kinky. He does a medley of some of his novelty tunes on it, and it includes Willie Nelson, Tom Waits, Dwight Yoakam, Asleep At The Wheel, Lee Roy Parnell, Guy Clark, and many more. It’s essential for any fan of roots music.
Aussie Sean
August 24, 2015 @ 8:57 am
Saw him at the Saxon in Austin Amazing gig nothing like seeing a Kinkster in his natural habitat
CAH
August 24, 2015 @ 9:10 am
This is exciting news.
I will certainly buy the CD and try to catch a show or 2.
Kev
August 24, 2015 @ 9:55 am
That’s the best news I’ve heard for ages!!
Kev
August 24, 2015 @ 11:44 am
Just reading the article again I see there was no mention of the 1982 album, “Under The Double Ego”. All studio recordings and new songs at the time. Great little collection, well worth a listen. Finally appeared on CD about 10 years ago.
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