I received a simple and somber text message from a good friend that said “RIP Jerry Jeff”. Although I am sad to see him go, I am thankful to my friend for sharing the news with me before I found out on the wire.

After hearing the news, I dropped everything I was doing and quickly “paid it forward” and called my friend The Mango Man. Mango introduced me to the great Jeff Jeff Walker back in our Villanova University days where he shared his robust collection of progressive country music with me during the early Boozin’ Tunes events. Although I was never a fan of country music, Walker’s music struck a chord with me as my love for Americana music began to blossom. Guys like John Prine, Steve Goodman, Jimmy Buffett all fit in this “bucket” and became a soundtrack to my dreams of traveling the country with my guitar and exploring the great American bars and music halls that hosted these troubadours.

Although born in upstate New York, Jerry Jeff is synonymous with the wild and crazy Austin Music scene of the 1970’s. Close buds back in the day with Wille Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, Guy Clark and later Todd Snider, Jerry Jeff Walker wrote songs of love, hate and regret with one common theme… whiskey and good friends, something many a man can relate to and find solace in.

Jerry Jeff was a founding member of the Lost Gonzo Band, who released three albums and provided a launchpad for many of the players involved.

I must say, the name Lost Gonzo Band is pretty frickin’ cool and tops on the Thunderbird Ranch Ramble list of best band names… alongside Flying Burrito Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Drive-By Truckers, Morphine and Yes.

His obituary (click here to read Rolling Stone story) from Texas news outlets states, Walker may have written more about the country’s social scene in the 1970s than he was given credit for.

“Jerry Jeff Walker, the notorious rowdy raconteur who left a thousand beer-drinkin’, hard-partyin’ imitators at honky-tonk roadhouses all across Texas in his wake, penning songs of social consciousness? It’s not really all that far-fetched, as it turns out,” Peter Blackstock wrote.

Similar to JJ Cale, while Walker was known for songs, his associations with other musicians may have been as epic as his repertoire.

Parrott heads everywhere may have Jerry Jeff to thank for Jimmy Buffett’s long-time association with Key West and the Margaritaville sound. Watch the video below from 1992 of Jimmy playing Jerry Jeff’s songs alongside his mentor…

“Jerry Jeff was kind enough to take me in and let me stay and live with him for a while,” Buffett said. “I worked part-time in an auto repair garage, working on his car and then, when the car got fixed, we drove to Key West.”

Rest in peace Jerry Jeff Walker. Keep flapping your wings.

😉