Guitar Man Jerry Reed 1937-2008

When you're hot, you're hot!

By Fred Mills

Good ol' boy Jerry Reed died Monday of complications from emphysema. The hitmaking country singer and good-humored actor (a native of Atlanta) was 71.

While a lot of people associated Reed with his redneck cinematic image - in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s  he famously starred in all three Smokey and the Bandit  films with Burt Reynolds - among music aficionados he was known as a gifted guitarist and tunesmith, initially scoring big in 1967 with the hit "Guitar Man" (later covered by Elvis) and going on to an impressive chart run with songs such as "Amos Moses," "When You're Hot You're Hot," and "Lord Mr. Ford." Years later he enjoyed a second hitmaking life with witty numbers "The Bird" and "She Got the Goldmine (I Got The Shaft)."

Reed also collaborated with his friend Chet Atkins, was a regular on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, briefly hosted his own variety show and continued to work in film and TV.

Fun fact: in 1972 he was turned into a ‘toon and he played himself in an episode of The New Scooby-Doo Movies, "The Phantom of the Country Music Hall." Now THAT's entertainment.

Rest in peace, sir.