Thirty-eight years ago today, Jerry Reed wowed audiences with performances of his hit songs on The Glen Campbell Music Show.
The Glen Campbell Music Show was a music TV series hosted by singer/guitarist Glen Campbell. The show ran from 1981-83. The show featured music greats including Willie Nelson, The Righteous Brothers, and Jerry Reed. During Reed’s appearance on the show, he performed four of his top career hits including “East Bound and Down,” “Amos Moses,” “Guitar Man,” and “She Got The Goldmine (I Got The Shaft).” Watch rare footage of the four performances below.
East Bound And Down
“East Bound and Down” was written and recorded for the soundtrack of Smokey and the Bandit. The song spent 16 weeks on the Hot Country Chart and peaked in the number two spot. During the song, Reed sings “Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin. Oh, we 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 eastbound, just watch ol’ Bandit run.”
Amos Moses
“Amos Moses” is from Reed’s album Georgia Sunshine. The song is about a one-armed man named Amos Moses who lives in the bayou and traps alligators. Reed sings, “Now the folks around south Louisiana said Amos was a hell of a man. He could trap the biggest, the meanest alligator. And he’d just use one hand. That’s all he got left ’cause an alligator bit it. Left-arm gone clear up to the elbow.” “Amos Moses” spent 24 weeks on the Hot Country Chart and peaked in the number eight spot.
Guitar Man
“Guitar Man” is from Reed’s album of the same name. The song is about a man leaving home to try to make it as a musician. However, he continually gets turned down as no one wants a “guitar man.” “Reed sings, ” I got the same old story at them all night piers. There ain’t no room around here for a guitar man. We don’t need a guitar man, son.” Finally, he finds a club called Jack’s in Alabama and meets a band looking for a guitar player. The group join forces and happily perform “up and down the Gulf of Mexico.” The song spent nine weeks on the chart and peaked at number 53.
She Got The Goldmine (I Got The Shaft)
“She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)” is from Reed’s album, Man With The Golden Thumb. The song spent 17 weeks on the Hot Country Chart in 1982, peaking at number one. The song is a humorous look at the financial aftermath of divorce. Reed sings, “They split it right down the middle. And then they give her the better half. Well, it all sounds sorta funny. But it hurts too much to laugh. She got the gold mine. I got the shaft.”
