His most famous role was in the 1969 film Easy Rider (1969) as the stranger on the highway.
Used to sing blues songs in the same club (the Gaslight) as Bob Dylan in the sixties. A poorly sold 33 record was issued once. Confessed to Philippe Garnier (book "Caractères") that it was not so bad because "I had lost my voice when we taped this. Had too much booth the night before...". According to the same interview, his Easy Rider contract had stipulated his name should appear as big as Fonda's and Hopper's.