The storied Echo Hill Ranch, where Kinky Friedman lived for over 40 years, is now the birthplace of his final masterpiece, Poet of Motel 6. This posthumous album showcases the wit, heart, and unflinching humanity that defined Kinky Friedman as one of America’s most iconic storytellers.
Poet of Motel 6 was written at Echo Hill Ranch, a 400-acre property that Kinky called home. Surrounded by the tranquili. . . Show More >
The storied Echo Hill Ranch, where Kinky Friedman lived for over 40 years, is now the birthplace of his final masterpiece, Poet of Motel 6. This posthumous album showcases the wit, heart, and unflinching humanity that defined Kinky Friedman as one of America’s most iconic storytellers.
Poet of Motel 6 was written at Echo Hill Ranch, a 400-acre property that Kinky called home. Surrounded by the tranquility of Texas Hill Country, the ranch served as both inspiration and sanctuary. This album is not merely a collection of songs; it is Kinky's heartfelt goodbye, a reflection of his singular life and enduring legacy.
Produced by David Mansfield, a longtime collaborator dating back to Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue, the album captures Kinky at his most intimate. Written in the spring of 2023, the recording process was an emotional journey. Mansfield recalls the sessions as deeply personal, with Kinky’s voice embodying both vulnerability and resilience.
The album features ten original tracks, penned and performed by Friedman. The title track, “Poet of Motel 6,” stands out as a poignant elegy, inspired by the passing of his friend Billy Joe Shaver.
“Kinky was very upset when Billy Joe Shaver died,” explains Hardcharger head honcho Jesse Dayton. “Kinky idolized Billy Joe. I hear that sense of loss.” Mansfield experienced it firsthand. “Those songs he wrote about people he cared about that had passed on, they were quite elegiac,” says the producer. “He sang beautifully, and at the end he was in tears. He was very emotionally connected when he was doing these vocals.”
Other notable contributions to the album include musical luminaries like Rodney Crowell, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Rick Trevino, and Amy Nelson, the record resonates as a heartfelt tribute to Kinky’s unique perspective on life, loss, and love.
Poet of Motel 6 concludes a remarkable creative resurgence for Friedman. Beginning with The Loneliest Man I Ever Met in 2015, Kinky returned to music after decades dedicated to writing and activism. Subsequent albums, including Circus of Life and Resurrection, reaffirmed his status as a cultural icon. With Poet of Motel 6, Kinky achieves an artistic zenith, leaving behind an album hailed by Dayton as “his most heartstring-pulling record.”
Echo Hill Ranch is more than just the backdrop for this album—it is an enduring part of Kinky’s story. From its rolling hills to its timeless tranquility, the ranch is a reflection of the man himself: storied, larger-than-life, and filled with a quiet strength. Kinky’s younger sister, Marcie Friedman, fondly recalls their time together at the ranch and the profound symbolism embedded in his songs.
“This record is as good as Kinky’s [1973 debut album] Sold American,” she says. “Every song is about saying goodbye in a way only Kinky could.”
From the intimate, stripped-down recording sessions to the final harmony-filled gathering of friends and collaborators, Poet of Motel 6 is a testament to the enduring spirit of Kinky Friedman.
Poet of Motel 6 marks the final chapter in Kinky Friedman’s extraordinary musical journey. Fans and newcomers alike will discover an album that is as unforgettable as the man who created it.
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