Outlaw country legend Jerry Jeff Walker passed away on Saturday at the age of 78 following a lengthy battle with throat cancer. The “Mr. Bojangles” singer-songwriter put out over 30 records in his career that spanned six decades.

Born Ronald Clyde Crosby in Oneonta, NY on March 16th, 1942, the Gypsy Songman would eventually find himself in the 1960s Greenwich Village singer-songwriter scene. He struck gold early on with “Mr. Bojangles”—also the title of his solo debut—and the hit immediately established him as an emerging voice in the new movement of musicians.

From there, Walker fled the New York scene in 1971 and traded it for Austin, TX, where he joined with a new cast of musicians in the burgeoning outlaw country field. Amongst compatriots such as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, and many more, Walker continued to develop his unique voice. His outlaw persona bled into other facets of his life, as he bucked the system in 1986 and founded his own label, Tried & True Music.

“‘Outlaw country’ made it sound like you had to go to jail to be an artist, but it’s just that some people like Waylon and Willie were outside the business [norm],” Walker told Rolling Stone. “People said, ‘We’re different, but we’re not hillbilly country.’ We didn’t blacken our teeth and wear baggy pants, we just liked cowboys and played like that.”

Along the way, Walker served as an inspiration for a slew of budding musicians who would emerge as the next wave of American singer-songwriters. Upon news of his passing friends, colleagues, and admirers shared their memories of a legend etched into the stone of American music.

Todd Snider, who shared the stage with Walker on numerous occasions, performed a two-and-a-half hour livestream tribute to the musician on the day he died.

Todd Snider – Jerry Jeff Walker Forever – 10/24/20

[Video: Purple Building Live]

Leftover Salmon – “Derby Day” (Jerry Jeff Walker)

The String Cheese Incident – “Don’t It Make You Wanna Dance” – Morrison, CO – 7/17/2016