Jerry Reed, R.I.P.
Jerry Reed–country star of the ’70s and 80’s, songwriter, and occasional film star–died Sunday at the age of 71. Like several country stars of the era known for only for their hit singles, Reed had a successful run behind the scenes as a songwriter and session guitarist, with over 300 to his credit and appearances on records with Elvis Presley, Ringo Starr and Waylon Jennings. Still, Reed is probably best known for his role as Cledus Snow in the Smokey and the Bandit films, and the No. 2 pop hit “East Bound and Down” from the first film’s soundtrack. “East Bound and Down” was one of the few songs my father and I could agree upon when I was a kid, and will always be one of my favorites. Reed was an entertainer before anything else who had a part in bringing country music into the mainstream, and will be missed. [CMT]
