Country music star Kinky Friedman dead at 79

Singer-songwriter Kinky Friedman died on Wednesday at the age of 79. 

The singer, humorist and onetime Gubernatorial candidate passed away at his ranch near Austin, Texas. 

In a post to his social media pages, a statement read: 'Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends. 

'Kinkster endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.'

Friedman had ran to be governor of Texas against incumbent Rick Perry in 2006 and despite a colorful campaign came fourth in the race.

He was known for his larger than life persona and his signature look of curly hair poking out from under a cowboy hat and a cigar in hand.

Close friend Kent Perkins shared a picture of Friedman on the phone and clutching a cigar to his social media account and paid tribute to the star. 

Perkins wrote: 'My great friend for half a century, Kinky Friedman, slipped away peacefully at home in his sleep early this morning.

'He leaves a legacy of laughter, music, loyalty, mercy, tolerance, servitude, and wisdom.

'He was famous as a best-selling author, humorist, songwriter, and singer. But we, his close friends and family, knew him as a rescuer of unwanted dogs and cats, a compassionate, philanthropic, soft-spoken man who devoted much of his life to serving others less fortunate.

'I learned a lot from Kinky. I never met a more honest, witty, selfless, generous, or sincere person than Richard Samet 'Kinky' Friedman.

'Somewhere in heaven, I'm sure there's a quiet corner with a big easy chair, a bright floor lamp, a big stack of biographical books, and a few old dogs wagging their tails to the faint smell of cigar smoke. Rest in peace, my friend.'

Friedman, real name Richard Samet Friedman, was born in Chicago and grew up in Texas where he formed his first band King Arthur & the Carrots while a student. 

He went on to form his second band Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys in 1973, which spawned his first album 'Solid American'. 

He would go on to release music until 2018, with some of his best known hits including 'They Aint' Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore', and 'Ride 'em Jewboy'. 

In early 1976 he also joined Bob Dylan on the second leg of the legendary Rolling Thunder Revue tour. 

During the eighties, he spent much of his time in New York City and developed a heavy cocaine addiction, he told Rolling Stone. 

After he stopped writing songs altogether following this period, he reinvented himself as an author of mystery novels.  

A cause of death has not yet been released for the star but Little Jewford, a member of his band and longtime friend, told the Times he had been ill in recent months. 

Friend Cleve Hattersley said in an interview with the Texas Tribune the Friedman had Parkinson's disease. 

He told the outlet: 'He was a communicator. An unusual, but very pointed and poignant communicator.

'He could bring you to tears on stage. He could make you roll on the floor in laughter.'

In politics, he sought to run for the statewide office in Texas and pushed policies including the legalization of marijuana and casino gambling. 

During his run, he also came out in support of same-sex marriage saying: 'I support gay marriage because I believe they have right to be just as miserable as the rest of us.'