Clive Hattersley, a lifelong friend, remembered him as a gifted communicator who could elicit strong emotions, whether via tears or laughter. Hattersley also stated that he was suffering Parkinson’s illness. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s when he formed the satirical country band Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys, who recorded songs like “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed.”
Despite the band’s brief existence, he continued his musical career, releasing a self-titled solo album in 1974 and embarking on a two-year tour with Bob Dylan. He published 18 albums over his career, the last of which, “Circus of Life,” was released in 2018.