Jerry Jeff Walker, the song’s writer Mr. Bojangles, passed away yesterday at the age of 78. He had been suffering from throat cancer for several years.
The American wrote Mr. Bojangles in the 60s. His own version did hit the charts, but the song really became known when The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded a version. In 1971, this version reached the top 10 in several countries.
Sammy Davis Jr. one year later and that of Robbie Williams from 2001 are in the Top 2000 of NPO Radio 2.
Born in 1942, Walker learned to play music as a teenager. He soon entered the New York folk scene and moved to Austin, Texas in the 1970s.
In his career he released more than thirty albums, both solo and with The Lost Gonzo Band. The LP Viva Terlingua is considered a classic in the world of country rock. Other songs that Walker became famous with are Desperados Waiting for a Train, Trashy Women and The Pickup Truck Song.
Walker leaves behind a wife, a son and a daughter.