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Trucking troubadour Reed hauls last load

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jerry Reed, a singer who became a good ol’ boy actor in car chase movies like “Smokey and the Bandit,” died Monday of complications from emphysema, his longtime booking agent said. He was 71.

As a singer in the 1970s and early 1980s, Reed had a string of hits including “Amos Moses,” ‘‘When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” ‘‘East Bound and Down,” ‘‘She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)” and “The Bird.”

In the mid-70s, he began acting in movies such as “Smokey and the Bandit” with Burt Reynolds, usually as a good ol’ boy. But he was an ornery heavy in “Gator,” directed by Reynolds, and a hateful coach in 1998’s “The Waterboy,” starring Adam Sandler.

Born in Atlanta, Reed learned to play guitar at age 8 when his mother bought him one for $2. He dropped out of high school to tour with Ernest Tubb and Faron Young and at 17, he signed his first recording contract, with Capitol Records.

Elvis Presley recorded two of his songs, “U.S. Male” and “Guitar Man” in 1968. Reed also wrote “A Thing Called Love,” which was recorded in 1972 by Johnny Cash. He also wrote songs for Brenda Lee, Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole and the Oak Ridge Boys.

Reed was voted instrumentalist of the year in 1970 by the Country Music Association.

He won a Grammy Award for “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” in 1971. A year earlier, he shared a Grammy with Chet Atkins for their collaboration, “Me and Jerry.” In 1992, Atkins and Reed won a Grammy for “Sneakin’ Around.”