Jerry Reed Dead At 71

Sad news for me personally as I grew up watching the Smokey and the Bandit movies, and listening to Reed’s records on my grandma’s turntable (she was a fan).

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jerry Reed, a singer who became a good ol’ boy actor in car chase movies like “Smokey and the Bandit,” has died of complications from emphysema at 71.
His longtime booking agent, Carrie Moore-Reed, no relation to the star, said Reed died early Monday.
“He’s one of the greatest entertainers in the world. That’s the way I feel about him,” Moore-Reed said.
Sony BMG Nashville Chairman Joe Galante called Reed a larger-than-life personality.
“Everything about Jerry was distinctive: his guitar playing, writing, voice and especially his sense of humor,” Galante said. “I was honored to have worked with him.”

Reed’s music was great and his acting, from Snowman in the Smokey movies to Coach Red Beaulieu in Waterboy, was one-of-a-kind.