RIP Jerry Reed

Devastating news when I hit the home office with the death of Country legend Jerry Reed.

Reed, who was 71, is one of my all-time favorite artists. He was vastly underrated for both his song-writing ability and his unique mixture of country and funk in the late-'70's.

He was also out-spoken, through song, of the '70's gas crunch with songs like, "Lord, Mr. Ford" and "The Crude Oil Blues".

Reed, for many, is best known as the "Snowman" from the Smokey and the Bandit movie series. In the '90's appeared in the sports cult movie The Waterboy as the antagonist coach. He also pitched Lipton tea in the early '80's.

But it was music where Reed left his mark. Besides the soundtrack to Smokey and the Bandit, he also had cross-over hits with "Amos Moses" and "When You're Hot, You're Hot". He was also a Grammy winner for his collaboration with Chet Atkins.

I can't underscore how sad Reed passing is to me. Coming a month after the death of Skip Carey, the long-time voice of the Atlanta Braves, it's been a tough month for the remaining strands of youth.

Here's Reed performing, "She Got The Goldmine (I Got The Shaft)":



Here's Reed with Glen Campbell on "Southern Nights"