Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed Hubbard was an American country music singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actor whose distinctive fingerpicking style made him one of Nashville’s most respected session and solo musicians. Raised in Georgia, he began his career as a songwriter and picker before breaking through as a performer in his own right, eventually becoming a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. His guitar technique, influenced by Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, combined syncopated thumb-and-finger picking with a playful, percussive rhythmic sense that became instantly recognizable.

Reed’s recording career produced a string of novelty and story-song hits that blended country storytelling with humor and swagger, including «Amos Moses» and «When You’re Hot, You’re Hot». He became closely associated with the outlaw and good-ol’-boy strand of 1970s country, and his songs «East Bound and Down» and «West Bound and Down» became forever linked to the Smokey and the Bandit film series, in which he also starred as Cledus «Snowman» Snow alongside Burt Reynolds.

Beyond music, Reed built a substantial acting career, appearing in more than a dozen films including Smokey and the Bandit and The Waterboy, which introduced his persona to a new generation. He remained active as a guitarist and performer until his death in 2008, leaving a legacy as both a technically brilliant picker and a genuinely funny, charismatic entertainer.