Jerry Jeff Walker (10/24/20)

Sadly, we have another death to report: Singer/songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker died today, a victim of throat cancer. He was 78.

As always, I look to Variety Magazine for the comprehensive obituary: https://variety.com/.../jerry-jeff-walker-dead-78-mr.../

Of course, he was best known for writing the song “Mr. Bojangles,” which he recorded and released in 1968, but was covered by dozens of groups and artists throughout the '70s and beyond—most notably by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ( #9 on the Hot 100 in 1970) and by Sammy Davis Jr. in 1972.

According to Walker, he met “Bojangles” while they were both in a holding cell at a New Orleans jail in 1965. Walker was there for public intoxication and Bojangles was in for being homeless.

The two men (along with some other inmates) struck up a conversation about a number of things...but when Bojangles started talking about his dog who had recently died, the cell grew quiet—until another inmate, in an effort to lighten things up, asked Bojangles to dance, who obliged with a tap dance.

For a long time, fans thought Bojangles was a black man—equating him with the legendary black dancer, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson—who was most famous for dancing with Shirley Temple in the 1935 movie, “The Little Colonel,” but Walker said that HIS "Bojangles" was white--because New Orleans jail cells were still segregated when they were incarcerated.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Walker. Say “hello” to Bojangles for us. And thanks for the “Great Song of the '70s.”

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band:

Sammy Davis Jr:

Jerry Jeff Walker: