Sandy Pinkard, Renowned Songwriter and Abbeville Native, Dead at Age 78

KINGWOOD, WV (KMDL-FM) - James "Sandy" Pinkard Jr., a renowned songwriter and performer originally from Abbeville, Louisiana, passed away this past weekend at his residence in West Virginia. He was 78 years old.

Sandy graduated from Gueydan High School and served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War.

Pinkard's Songs Performed by Music Legends

However, his true passion was songwriting. In the mid-1970s, he began having success.

Over the years, he had songs published and performed by major artists such as Brenda Lee, Jim Nabors, Cher, Anne Murray, Mel Tillis, Ray Charles, Clint Eastwood, John Anderson, and Mickey Gilley, to name a few.

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Sandy received Gold Records for three of his songs: "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma," "Coca Cola Cowboy," and "I Can Tell by the Way You Dance."

A New Chapter: Forming Pinkard & Bowden

In 1984, he teamed up with Richard Moore Bowden, and together they formed the comedic country duo Pinkard & Bowden. Their unique blend of original and parody comedy songs garnered them national attention.

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Their debut album, Writers in Disguise, released on Warner Bros. Records, peaked at No. 47 on the Country Charts. From 1985 to 1993, they released four more albums and a total of 12 singles, including hits like “Mama She’s Lazy,” “I Lobster but Never Flounder,” “Arab, Alabama,” and “Trailer Park Woman.”

“Mama She’s Lazy” reached No. 3 on the Country Charts, with several others landing in the Country Hot 100.

Remembering Sandy Pinkard: Family and Legacy

Sandy Pinkard is survived by his wife, Lisa Ann Bennett; one son, Tom Maxwell, of Springfield, OR; two daughters, Pamela Way and her partner Erik Selliken of Los Angeles, CA, and Mary Athalia Irwin of Port Angeles, WA; one grandson, Henry Stuart Irwin; and one brother, Chris Pinkard and his wife Rosemary, of West Point, TX.