Reed was born on the 20th March 1937 in Atlanta, Georgia, the second child of Robert and Cynthia Hubbard. Reed's parents separated four months after his birth, and he and his sister spent seven years in foster homes or orphanages. Reed was reunited with his mother and stepfather in 1944.
By high school (O'Keefe High School, Atlanta, Georgia) Reed was already writing and singing music, having picked up the guitar as a child. At the age of eighteen he was signed by publisher and record producer Bill Lowery to make his first record, "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creeks Don't Rise". At Capitol Records, he recorded both country and rockabilly singles with little success, until label mate Gene Vincent covered his "Crazy Legs" in 1958. By 1958, Lowery signed Reed to his National Recording Corporation, and he recorded for NRC as both artist and as a member of the staff band, which included other NRC artists Joe South and Ray Stevens.
Reed married Priscilla Mitchell in 1959. They have two daughters, Charlotte Elaine Reed Stewart, and Seidina Ann Reed Hinesley.
After a two-year stint in the military, Reed moved to Nashville in 1961 to continue his songwriting career, which had continued to gather steam while he was in the armed forces, thanks to Brenda Lee's 1960 cover of his "That's All You Got to Do". He also became a popular session and tour guitarist. In 1962, he scored some success with the singles "Goodnight Irene" and "Hully Gully Guitar", which found their way to Chet Atkins, who produced Reed's 1965 "If I Don't Live Up to It".
In 1967 Reed had his first chart hit with "Guitar Man", which Elvis Presley soon covered. Presley had gone to Nashville to record in 1967, and one of the songs he was working on was "Guitar Man," which Reed had written and recorded. Jarvis hired Reed to play on the session. Reed also played the guitar for Presley's "Too Much Monkey Business" (1968), recorded at the same session. After Presley recorded another of Reed's songs, "U.S. Male", the songwriter recorded an Elvis tribute, "Tupelo Mississippi Flash", which became his first top-twenty hit.
After releasing the 1970 crossover hit "Amos Moses", a hybrid of rock, country, and Cajun styles, which reached number eight on the U.S. pop charts, Reed teamed up with Atkins for the duet LP Me & Jerry. During the 1970 television season, he was a regular on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and in 1971 he issued his biggest hit, "When You're Hot, You're Hot", which was also the title track of his first solo album and reached number nine on the pop charts.
A second collaboration with Atkins, Me & Chet, followed in 1972, as did a series of top-forty singles, which alternated between frenetic, straightforward country offerings and more pop-flavoured material. A year later, he scored his second number-one single with "Lord, Mr. Ford" (written by Dick Feller), from the album of the same name.
Reed was featured in animated form in a December 9, 1972 episode of Hanna-Barbera's The New Scooby-Doo Movies, "The Phantom of the Country Music Hall". He sang and played the song "Pretty Mary Sunlite", which is played throughout the episode as Scooby and the gang search for Reed's missing guitar.
In the mid-1970s, Reed's recording career began to take a back seat to his acting aspirations. In 1974, he co-starred with his close friend Burt Reynolds in the film W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings. While he continued to record throughout the decade, his greatest visibility was as a film star, almost always in tandem with headliner Reynolds; after 1976's Gator, Reed appeared in 1978's High Ballin and 1979's Hot Stuff, which won the Best Picture award from the Pawn Shop Association of America. He also co-starred in all three of the Smokey and the Bandit films; the first, which premiered in 1977, landed Reed a number-two hit with the soundtrack's "East Bound and Down".
Reed also hosted a television variety show, filming two episodes of The Jerry Reed Show in 1976. The show featured music performances and interview segments, but did not contain the comedy skits that usually were a part of variety shows of the 1970s. Guests included Tammy Wynette, Ray Stevens, and Burt Reynolds.
Reed died on the 31st August 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee, of complications from emphysema.
The Bandit
Jerry Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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.
Keep your foot hard on the pedal. Son, never mind them brakes.
Let it all hang out 'cause we got a run to make.
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there's beer in Texarcana.
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.
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.
Ol' Smokey's got them ears on and he's hot on your trail.
He aint gonna rest 'til you're in jail.
So you got to dodge 'im and you got to duck 'im,
You got to keep that diesel truckin'.
Just put that hammer down and give it hell.
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.
The song "Eastbound and Down" by Jerry Reed is an upbeat and energetic tune that tells the story of a truck driver named "Bandit" who is on a mission to deliver a trailer full of beer from Texarcana to Atlanta. The lyrics invite the listener to accompany the singer on a thrilling and reckless ride that defies the odds and challenges the authorities. The message is clear: nothing is impossible if you have determination, skill, and a passion for adventure.
The lyrics are simple yet powerful, conveying a sense of freedom, rebellion, and risk-taking that resonates with many people who embrace the trucker lifestyle. The driving beat, the twangy guitar riffs, and the catchy chorus all contribute to the song's popularity and longevity. But beyond its musical appeal, "Eastbound and Down" is also a celebration of the American South, its landscapes, its culture, and its values. The song reflects a time when trucking was not just a job, but a way of life, a symbol of independence and self-reliance, a source of pride and camaraderie.
Overall, "Eastbound and Down" is a quintessential country-rock anthem that captures the spirit of adventure and the thrill of the open road. It's a song that encourages us to take risks, to pursue our dreams, and to never give up, no matter how many obstacles we face along the way. It's a song that has stood the test of time and will continue to inspire generations of fans who love good old-fashioned fun and adventure.
Line by Line Meaning
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin',
We are driving east with a load in our truck
We're gonna do what they say can't be done.
We are going to accomplish the impossible
We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
We have a great distance to travel and little time to do so
I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run.
I am driving east and will do it quickly and skillfully
Keep your foot hard on the pedal. Son, never mind them brakes.
Press down the accelerator and don't worry about stopping
Let it all hang out 'cause we got a run to make.
Drive as fast as you can because we have a job to do
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there's beer in Texarcana.
We need to transport beer to Atlanta from Texarcana
And we'll bring it back no matter what it takes.
We will complete this task no matter the challenges
Ol' Smokey's got them ears on and he's hot on your trail.
The police are listening and pursuing us
He aint gonna rest 'til you're in jail.
The police will not stop until we are caught
So you got to dodge 'im and you got to duck 'im,
We need to avoid the police at all costs
You got to keep that diesel truckin'.
We need to keep driving our diesel truck
Just put that hammer down and give it hell.
Drive as fast as possible and don't hold back
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dick Feller, Jerry Hubbard Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind