Jerry Reed Hubbard was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on 20 March, 1937. He was the second child born to Robert Spencer Hubbard and Cynthia Hubbard. Jerry's birth strained an already troubled marriage, and four months later the couple separated. For the next seven years Jerry and his sister Patricia where shuttled between Georgia orphanages and foster homes. They finally returned home in 1944 when their mother married Hubert Howard, another mill worker.
Music provided a welcome diversion for the family. He was exposed to gospel music via his religious background, and a natural aptitude for singing gave him a yearning to become a musician at a very early age. Encouraged by her son's continuing passion for music, Cyntia Howard saved seven dollars to buy a no-name second-hand guitar from a neighbor. Using a nickel as a flat pick, she taught the nine-year-old his first chords.
By the time he entered Atlanta's O'Keefe High School, Reed was already writing and singing novelty songs. After completing his second year, Reed left school to work in an Atlanta cotton mill. He spent his free time honing his performing skills in local honky tonks. Jerry also developed skills as an entertainer, often stopping a show with his imitations of popular country artists.
In 1954 an Atlanta policeman introduced the youth to Bill Lowery, who helmed a popular live country music show Saturday mornings over WGST radio. Reed joined Lowery at WGST, working part-time as a disc jockey. At night he performed with a band Lowery managed, Kenny Lee and the Western Playboys.
On November 16, 1954, Reed performed at a gala country show in Atlanta honoring Faron Young, who had just been discharged from the Army. Capitol Records' country music chief Ken Nelson was there to celebrate the occasion, and Lowery encouraged him consider signing the young singer. Reed's first Capitol session was held in Nashville's Castle Studios on October 17, 1955, and Nelson recruited his front-line Nashville musicians to back him. Reed wrapped up his Capitol contract in May 1958. If Nelson had any intention of keeping him on Capitol, Reed ended any future association by joining the United States Army.
In 1961 Jerry Reed moved to Nashville and landed a Columbia contract, but his success proved only marginally better there than at Capitol. While Jerry didn't exactly sell a lot of his own records, he did develop as a writer. Johnny Cash did well with his "A thing called love" and Porter Wagoner took Reed's "Misery loves company" to #1 in 1962. Jerry also spent a lot of time as a studio musician and backing picker with various touring country artists. He now began sending demos of his guitar instrumentals to Chet Atkins at RCA Victor. Chet Atkins signed him to RCA Victor and started producing his albums.
In 1967, Reed notched his first chart hit with "Guitar Man," which Elvis Presley soon covered. After releasing the 1970 crossover hit "Amos Moses," Reed teamed with Atkins for the duet LP "Me & Jerry". During the 1970 television season, he was a regular on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and in 1971 he issued his biggest hit, the chart-topper "When You're Hot, You're Hot".
In the mid-1970s, Reed's recording career began to take a back seat to his acting aspirations. In 1974, he co-starred with his close friend Burt Reynolds in the film "W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings". While he continued to record throughout the decade, his greatest visibility was as a motion picture star, almost always in tandem with headliner Reynolds; after 1976's "Gator," Reed appeared in 1978's "High Ballin" and 1979's "Hot Stuff". He also co-starred in all three of the Smokey and the Bandit films; the first, which premiered in 1977, landed Reed a Number 2 hit with the soundtrack's "East Bound and Down."
In 1982, Reed's career as a singles artist was revitalized by the chart-topping hit "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)," followed by "The Bird," which peaked at Number 2. His last chart hit, "I'm a Slave," appeared in 1983. After the 1986 LP "Lookin' at You" Reed focused on touring until 1992, when he and Atkins reunited for the album "Sneakin' Around" before he again returned to the road.
In 1998 he formed the group "Old Dogs" together with country superstars Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, and Bobby Bare. They recorded one album entitled "Old Dogs". In early 2008 he recorded his last album, "The Gallant Few," which was produced to raise funds for wounded veterans.
Jerry Reed passed away August 31, 2008.
RIP Snowman
