Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight to Feature Jerry Reed

Join me Sunday, July 5th at 11 am for the Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight featuring 'The Guitar Man,' singer and songwriter Jerry Reed. 

After releasing the 1970 crossover hit, Amos Moses, Jerry's career was launched.  In 1971 he issued his biggest hit, When You're Hot, You're Hot. That song won him a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

He didn't stop there. Then came Lord, Mr. Ford and East Bound and Down, the theme song from the 1977 blockbuster Smokey and the Bandit, in which he co-starred.

East Bound and Down is written by Reed and Dick Feller and recorded by Jerry for the soundtrack of Smokey and the Bandit. The song spent sixteen weeks on the country chart peaking at number two. Jerry appeared in more than a dozen films.

Two songs, The Bird and She Got the Goldmine, I Got the Shaft, are among his songwriting credits.

On a personal level his parents separated four months after his birth in March of 1937.  He and his sister spent seven years in foster homes and orphanages.  Jerry was reunited with his mother and stepfather in 1944.

He married Priscilla Mitchell in 1959 and they had two daughters together.  Jerry passed away on September 1, 2008 at 71 years old due to emphysema.  He is survived by Priscilla Reed, his wife of 49 years, two daughters, Sedina and Lottie and by two grandchildren.

Hear more of your favorite country classic hits every Sunday from  9 am to 1 pm at 98.1 Minnesota's New Country, online and on your mobile device.  We take your requests at 320-252-9897 or email dick@minnesotasnewcountry.com.