James "Sandy" Sanford Pinkard

James “Sandy” Sanford Pinkard Jr., 78, of Kingwood, WV, passed away on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at his residence.

Sandy was born on January 16, 1947, in Abbeville, LA, a son of the late James Sanford Pinkard Sr. and Dorothy Ann Milliman Pinkard.

He graduated from Gueydan High School and served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. His passion was songwriting, and in the mid-1970s, he began having some of his 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.

In 1984, Sandy teamed up with Richard Moore Bowden of Linden, TX, and together they formed the comedic country music duo Pinkard & Bowden. Their unique blend of musical parody and original comedy songs brought them national attention. 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.

Sandy was also a highly successful songwriter, receiving Gold Records for three songs: “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma,” “Coca Cola Cowboy,” and “I Can Tell by the Way You Dance.”

He was a proud member of the Masonic Preston Lodge #90 AF & AM and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Sandy enjoyed hunting, snow skiing, and traveling.

He 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.

In addition to his parents, Sandy was preceded in death by his brother, William Howeth Pinkard.

A graveside service will be held at the West Virginia National Cemetery, located at 42 Veterans Memorial Lane, Grafton, WV 26354, on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 2:00 PM, where full military honors will be accorded by the Preston County Honor Guard and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard. Preston Lodge #90 AF & AM will provide Masonic services. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made by making the check to: Louis A Johnson VA Medical Center, On Memo put donations to Veterans with Guitar Programs 1901, C/O Louis A Johnson VA Medical Center, Attention Voluntary Services, 1 Med Center Drive, Clarksburg, WV 26301.

Online condolences may be sent at www.kingwoodfuneralhomewv.com. Kingwood Funeral Home is honored to serve the Pinkard family.

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