Jerry Reed
Induction Year: 2005
Birth Name: Jerry Reed Hubbard Reed
Birth Date: March 20, 1937
Place of Birth: Atlanta, GA
Deceased: August 31, 2008
Place of Death: Nashville, Tennessee
Biography
Renowned as a guitar hotshot, film actor, humorist and top-notch entertainer, Jerry Reed Hubbard has also always been a formidable songwriter. The Georgia native made his living throughout the 1960s as a composer and session guitarist. In his early years, Jerry wrote the rockabilly cult favorites “Crazy Legs” and “Rockin’ In Baghdad.” His breakthrough as a writer was with Brenda Lee’s Top 10 Pop hit “That’s All You Gotta Do” in 1960. After Chet Atkins signed him to RCA Records in 1965, Jerry created some of the most distinctive and individualistic recordings of the era. As a singer-songwriter, Jerry ’s biggest hits have been 1970’s “Amos Moses,” 1971’s “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” and 1977’s “East Bound And Down,” which was the theme song for the Burt Reynolds film Smokey And The Bandit. He also has the distinction of having written an instrumental standard. “The Claw” is a guitar piece that many seek to master, thus it has many recorded versions. Additionally, Jerry was a particular songwriter favorite of Elvis Presley, who recorded several of Jerry’s compositions and requested him as a session guitarist. Presley’s version of Jerry’s “Guitar Man” became a #1 hit in 1981. In 2005, Jerry released a new album, Jerry Reed - Live Still.
Discography / Career Highlights
Catalog Highlights:
“Crazy Legs” - Gene Vincent, 1957; Jeff Beck, 1993
“Rockin’ In Baghdad” - Jerry Reed, 1958, Jerry Reed, 1999
“That’s All You Gotta Do” - Brenda Lee, 1960 (#6 Pop)
“Misery Loves Company”- Porter Wagoner, 1962 (#1), Jerry Reed, 1972, Moe Bandy, 1977, Johnson Mountain Boys, 1983 • Karl Shiflett, 2002
“Hully Gully Guitar” - Jerry Reed, 1962 (#99 Pop)
“The Claw” - Jerry Reed, 1966, Lenny Breau, 1969, Chet Atkins, 1973, Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed, 1992, Dave Edmunds, 1994, The Hellbillies, 1995, Clint Black, 1998 • Fairport Convention, 2000
“Guitar Man”- Jerry Reed, 1967 (#53), Elvis Presley, 1968 (#43 Pop), Bob Luman, 1968, Elvis Presley, 1981 (#1 Country / #28 Pop), Junior Brown, 2001
“He’s Not For Real” - Priscilla Mitchell, 1967 (#53)
“Alabama Wild Man” - Jerry Reed, 1968 (#48), Jerry Reed, 1972 (#22)
“Born To Be By Your Side” - Jimmy Dean, 1968 (#52)
“A Thing Called Love” - Jerry Reed, 1968, Jimmy Dean, 1968 (#21), Ed Ames, 1969 (#21 AC), Elvis Presley, 1971, Johnny Cash, 1972 (#2 Country / #37 AC),Dave Dudley, 1972, Kenny Price, 1972, Lynn Anderson, 1973,
Daryle Singletary, 1998, Richard Bennett, 1998
“U.S. Male” - Elvis Presley, 1968 (#55 Country / #28 Pop)
“Remembering” - Jerry Reed, 1968 (#14), Jerry Reed, 1976 (#57)
“Tupelo Mississippi Flash” - Jerry Reed, 1968 (#15)
“Oh What A Woman” - Jerry Reed, 1969 (#60)
“Talk About The Good Times” - Jerry Reed, 1970 (#14), Jerry Reed, 1971, Elvis Presley, 1973, Frankie Laine, 1987, Oak Ridge Boys, 1995
“Amos Moses” - Jerry Reed, 1970 (#16 Country / #8 Pop)
“Georgia Sunshine” - Jerry Reed, 1970 (#16)
“The Preacher And The Bear” - Jerry Reed, 1970
“When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” - Jerry Reed, 1971 (#1 Country / #9 Pop)
“Ko-Ko Joe” - Jerry Reed, 1971 (#11)
“Smell The Flowers” - Jerry Reed, 1972 (#24)
“Another Puff” - Jerry Reed, 1972 (#27)
“Good Stuff” - Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed, 1972
“Jerry’s Breakdown” - Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed, 1972
“You Took All The Ramblin’ Out Of Me” - Jerry Reed, 1973 (#18)
“The Crude Oil Blues” - Jerry Reed, 1974 (#13)
“Let’s Sing Our Song” - Jerry Reed, 1975 (#18)
“Mind Your Love” - Jerry Reed, 1975 (#64)
“You Got A Lock On Me” - Jerry Reed, 1975 (#60)
“Gator” - Jerry Reed, 1976 (#54)
“East Bound And Down” - Jerry Reed, 1977 (#2 - from the film Smokey & The Bandit)
“High Rollin’” - Jerry Reed, 1978 (from the film High-Ballin’)
“You Know What” - Jerry Reed & Seidina, 1978 (#20)
“Sweet Love Feelings” - Jerry Reed, 1978 (#39)
“Hot Stuff” - Jerry Reed, 1979 (#67)
“Texas Bound And Flyin’” - Jerry Reed, 1980 (#26 - from the film Smokey & The Bandit II)
“The Testimony Of Soddy Hoe” - Jerry Reed, 1981 (#87)
“I’m A Slave” - Jerry Reed, 1983 (#58)
“Vaudeville Daze” - Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed, 1992
“Major Attempt At A Minor Thing” - Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed, 1992
“Father Time And Gravity” - Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed, 2005
Awards:
1970: Grammy, Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Me and Jerry" Artists: Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
1970: CMA, Musician of the Year
1971: CMA, Musician of the Year
1971: Grammy, Best Male Country Vocal Performance
"When You're Hot, You're Hot"
1979: People's Choice Award, Favorite Motion Picture Support Actor
1992: Grammy, Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Sneakin' Around" Artists: Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
