Editing Jerry Reed (section)

===1980s and 1990s===
In January 1980, Reed began work on the "Guitar Man" re-recording being produced by Presley's producer Felton Jarvis. With a new "hopped up" guitar line and Presley on lead vocals, the song reached number one on the country chart.{{Cn|date=March 2025}}

In 1982, Reed's career as a singles artist was revitalized by the chart-topping hit "[[She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)]]",<ref name="LarkinGE"/> followed by "[[The Bird (Jerry Reed song)|The Bird]]", which peaked at No. 2. Also in 1982, Reed headlined a syndicated TV special, ''Jerry Reed and Friends''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collie |first=Biff |date=August 6, 1982 |title=Inside Nashville |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1982/RR-1982-08-06.pdf |work=Radio & Records |pages=32}}</ref> The special, a "music filled celebrity picnic", was filmed at the [[Nashville Shores|Hermitage Landing]] TN. It included guest stars Burt Reynolds, [[Louise Mandrell]], [[Brenda Lee]], [[Jimmy Dean]], Glen Campbell, [[Vicki Lawrence]], [[Faron Young]] and [[the Statler Brothers]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Terrace |first=Vincent |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AKlgjBCPPnsC&dq=%22jerry+reed%22+%22Hermitage+Landing%22&pg=PA215 |title=Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials |date=1985 |publisher=VNR AG |isbn=978-0-918432-61-2 |language=en}}</ref> Reed and Campbell performed the hit [[Southern Nights (song)|Southern Nights]], with Campbell relating how the song's guitar lick had been shown to him by Reed some years before.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jerry Reed & Glen Campbell – Southern Nights |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Mr5V3m6JMwY |website=YouTube |language=en |format=video |date=June 10, 2011}}</ref>

His last chart hit, "I'm a Slave", appeared in 1983. In the same year he co-starred with [[Robin Williams]] and [[Walter Matthau]] in the [[Michael Ritchie (film director)|Michael Ritchie]] comedy ''[[The Survivors (1983 film)|The Survivors]]''. Reed guest-starred in the October 13, 1983, episode of ''[[Mama's Family]]'', "The Return of Leonard Oates" (Episode 13, Season 2), as Naomi Harper's ex-husband.

He accepted an invitation to open for the British group [[Dexys Midnight Runners]] in the US in 1984, yet left the tour early to appear on the country music comedy TV show ''[[Hee-Haw]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/sep/04/usa |title=Jerry Reed |first=Garth |last=Cartwright |date=September 3, 2008 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

After an unsuccessful 1986 LP, ''Lookin' at You'', Reed focused on touring until 1992 when he and Atkins reunited for the album ''[[Sneakin' Around]]'' before he again returned to the road. In the meantime, Reed appeared in several interviews and commercial spots for [[Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts)|Mid-South Wrestling]].

Reed had a role as a commander/Huey pilot for [[Danny Glover]]'s character in the 1988 movie ''[[Bat*21]]'' starring [[Gene Hackman]]. He also acted as executive producer and screenwriter on this film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/bat-21-film |title=The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions |publisher=Answers |access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref>

Reed starred in the 1998 [[Adam Sandler]] film ''[[The Waterboy]]'' as Red Beaulieu, the movie's chief antagonist and the head coach for the University of Louisiana Cougars football team. Actor [[Henry Winkler]] recounts that Reed taught him how to bass fish while on location for this movie.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://x.com/hwinkler4real/status/1774928469346169097|title=The incredible Jerry REED, who taught me to bass fish while making the WATER BOY in Orlando|website=X.com|access-date=March 20, 2025}}</ref> It was Reed's final film role before his death in 2008.

He teamed up with country superstars [[Waylon Jennings]], [[Mel Tillis]], and [[Bobby Bare]] in the group [[Old Dogs (group)|Old Dogs]]. They recorded one album in 1998, entitled ''[[Old Dogs (album)|Old Dogs]]'', with songs written by [[Shel Silverstein]]. Reed sang lead on "Young Man's Job" and "Elvis Has Left The Building", the latter possibly in deference to Elvis helping launch his career.

In 1998, the American rock band [[Primus (band)|Primus]] covered the Reed song "Amos Moses" on the EP titled ''[[Rhinoplasty (album)|Rhinoplasty]]''.