Pinkard & Bowden
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | James "Sandy" Pinkard, Richard Bowden |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Country music albums, musical parodies, comedic tunes |
Number of employees | 2 |
Pinkard & Bowden was a country music duo from the United States, consisting of singer-songwriters James "Sandy" Pinkard and Richard Bowden (), who also handled guitar and bass guitar duties. Their repertoire blended original comedic tunes with musical parodies. Pinkard was a successful songwriter, having crafted hit tracks for performers such as Mel Tillis, Anne Murray, and Vern Gosdin. From 1984 through 1992, the pair issued four albums via Warner Bros. Records.
Biography
James "Sandy" Pinkard, born on January 16, 1947, in Abbeville, Louisiana, launched his career in the mid-1970s Nashville scene. After experiencing modest achievements as a performer, he shifted his focus to songwriting, penning notable hits including "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" (performed by Shelly West and David Frizzell), "Coca Cola Cowboy" (Mel Tillis), and "Blessed Are the Believers" (Anne Murray).
Richard Bowden entered the world on September 30, 1945, in Linden, Texas. During high school, he played in a Dixieland ensemble alongside childhood friend Don Henley. The two later collaborated in bands such as Felicity and Shiloh. Due to disagreements over the band's musical direction, Shiloh dissolved in 1971. After Henley went on to form the Eagles, Bowden toured briefly with Roger McGuinn's group and released his own album titled Big Bad Johnson in 2003.
The duo was brought together by Jim Ed Norman, who encouraged Pinkard and Bowden to co-write humorous songs, leading to their formation as a comedy act. Their first album, Writers in Disguise (1984), featured parodies including "Adventures in Parodies," which satirized hits from artists like Johnny Cash, Tanya Tucker, and Eddie Rabbitt. This album also contained their sole Top 40 country single, "Mama She's Lazy," a spoof of The Judds' "Mama He's Crazy".
In 1985, Pinkard & Bowden shared the stage with Ray Stevens at Georgia’s Lanierland Music Park and released PG-13. Later projects included the live recording Live! (1990) and Cousins, Cattle, and Other Love Stories (1992), which combined live performances with studio cuts. Comedian and singer Tim Wilson co-wrote songs featured on all four albums. Their greatest hits collection, Gettin' Stupid, was distributed in 1993 primarily through direct marketing efforts.
James "Sandy" Pinkard died on July 26, 2025.
Style
Pinkard & Bowden have often been likened to Homer & Jethro, a country comedy duo active from the 1940s to the 1960s known for mixing parody with original songs. However, unlike Homer & Jethro, Pinkard & Bowden frequently incorporated explicit language into their material; they were pioneers among country comedy acts in including content warnings on their albums. Their work was controversial enough to result in a ban from The Nashville Network (now known as Paramount Network). Some of their parodies addressed current events—for example, "Friends in Crawl Spaces," a take on Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places" that referenced serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
Albums
| Year | Album | US Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Writers in Disguise | 47 | Warner Bros. |
| 1985 | PG-13 | — | |
| 1990 | Live! (In Front of a Bunch of D*ckhe*ds) | — | |
| 1992 | Cousins, Cattle and Other Love Stories | — | |
| 1993 | Gettin' Stupid | — | Cornerstone Promotions Warner Specialty |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Rankings | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| 1984 | "Adventures in Parodies" | 64 | Writers in Disguise |
| "I Lobster But Never Flounder" | — | ||
| "Mama, She's Lazy" | 39 | PG-13 | |
| 1985 | "The Ballad of Dick and Jane" | — | |
| "The Christmas Gift" | — | single release only | |
| 1986 | "She Thinks I Steal Cars" | 92 | Gettin' Stupid |
| 1988 | "Arab, Alabama" | 87 | |
| 1989 | "Libyan on a Jet Plane" | 79 |
Music videos
| Year | Video Title | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Arab, Alabama" | Jim May and Coke Sams |