Eastbound and Down

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’,
we’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run.

Today marked the passing of Jerry Reed. Although perhaps little-known in this country, he was a giant of the US Country scene (bear with me, usual service will resume shortly).

Many hours of my youth were spent watching Reed and Burt Reynolds in the Smokey and The Bandit franchise, and although I’m somewhat shy to admit it I know more words to Reeds songs than many would admit to.

I often write about how they don’t make musicians like they used to, and Jerry Reed was no exception – when recording his comeback album Elvis arrived in Nashville to cover Reed’s Guitar Man and, struggling to recreate the right sound from Nashville’s finest session players, called Reed back from a fishing trip to play the guitar in a way only he could.

BBC Obituary.