18 Years Ago Today, We Said Goodbye to the Country Guitar Legend Who Became a Movie Star Alongside Burt Reynolds

On this day (September 1) in 2008, Jerry Reed died of complications from emphysema at the age of 71. He was a Grammy-winning songwriter and recording artist who is widely remembered for his endlessly impressive guitar skills. After scoring several country hits, he embarked on an acting career that included roles in Gator, High-Ballin’, and the Smokey and the Bandit franchise.

Reed started playing the guitar when he was a child. He started writing songs in his teens. He was only 17 when he recorded his first singles for Capitol Records. At the time, he was marketed as a teen sensation, but didn’t find much success on the pop chart. His highest-charting single, “Goodnight, Irene,” peaked at No. 79 on the pop chart. A few years later, he signed a deal with the National Recording Corporation and recorded a handful of singles. He also began working as a session guitarist.

Jerry Reed’s Recording Career

In the late 1960s, he signed with RCA. Reed released “Guitar Man” in 1967. It peaked at No. 53 on the country chart, giving him the biggest hit of his career. Not long after Reed released the single, Elvis Presley recorded a cover. When the session guitarist couldn’t play the song, Presley’s producer found Reed and hired him to play the session.

Reed had a long line of top 40 hits in the 1970s. Some of the highlights include chart-topping singles like “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” which brought him a Grammy Award. “Lord, Mr. Ford” reached No. 1 in 1973. Nine years later, in 1982, Reed was back at No. 1 with “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft).”

Jerry Reed recorded “East Bound and Down” for the Smokey and the Bandit soundtrack in 1977. It reached No. 2 and remains one of his most popular recordings.

Reed’s TV and Film Career

Jerry Reed was a regular on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, his time on the variety show landed him his first feature film role. He appeared in W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings, which starred Burt Reynolds. He also co-starred in the Smokey and the Bandit films and Gator with Reynolds.

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Reed also starred in the short-lived TV series Nashville 99. In 1998, he played Coach Red Beaulieu in The Waterboy alongside Adam Sandler.

Jerry Reed Wrote Hit Songs

Jerry Reed wrote several hit songs for himself and other artists. Here are a few highlights from his catalog.

• “A Thing Called Love”–Johnny Cash (No. 2)
• “Guitar Man”–Elvis Presley (No. 1)
• “Misery Loves Company”–Porter Wagoner (No. 1)
• “That’s All You Gotta Do”–Brenda Lee (No. 6)

Featured Image by CBS via Getty Images

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