Photo courtesy of the PRCA.

The American Cowboy is known all over the world as a symbol of America. The cowboy life might not have been quite as glamorous as the silver screen portrayed it, yet most of the men and women who lived their lives as cowboys or cowgirls wouldn’t have traded it for any big city job available to them at the time.

From that golden era came many familiar cowboy songs, some of them originating as folk tunes in other countries and adapted to their new situation by those Irish or Spanish cowboys who worked out west. Later, cowboy songs were big parts of movies during the singing cowboy era, with Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, Rex Allen and Gene Autry gaining popularity not only as actors but singers too. Carl T. Sprague is considered the original singing cowboy, recording the first authentic cowboy song, “When the Work’s All Done this Fall,” which sold 900,000 copies.

Today’s singer/songwriters have not forgotten the cowboy way. Folks like Ian Tyson, Michael Martin Murphey, Riders in the Sky, Don Edwards, Ed Bruce and the late Chris LeDoux have given us newer songs and also revived some of the older tunes. Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, the late Marty Robbins and the late Johnny Cash were also more than happy to sing the new western songs and keep the cowboy tradition alive in country music.

In no particular order, here are our picks for the Top 20 Cowboy & Cowgirl Songs. Leave us a comment below and let us know your favorite! And don’t forget to enter our Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Sweepstakes for your chance to win a trip for two to the rodeo in Las Vegas! Enter now >>

“Amarillo By Morning” – George Strait

Although Chris LeDoux recorded this song first, most people remember George Strait’s version, which begins with a beautiful intro played by fiddle great Buddy Spicher. Here’s a clip of George singing “Amarillo By Morning” live. The song is about a cowboy’s love for the sport of rodeo, no matter what happens to him and no matter what he loses, saddles and girlfriends included. George, as most of his fans know, sponsors his own Team Roping Classic in San Antonio each year. He is no slouch as a roper either!

“Good Ride Cowboy” – Garth Brooks

This song, written by Jerrod Niemann (performing it in the clip above), Richie Brown, Bryan Kennedy and Bob Doyle, became Garth Brooks‘ tribute to his friend Chris LeDoux after the rodeo champ and singer passed away in 2005. It chronicles Chris’ rise to fame in the rodeo world and as a singer, as well as his down-to-earth ways as a father and husband. Chris and Garth became friends after the Oklahoma singer named the rodeo cowboy in his first single, “Too Young to Feel This Damn Old.” They also recorded a duet in 1992, “What’cha Gonna Do With A Cowboy.”

“Night Rider’s Lament” – Suzy Bogguss

Upon hearing this song, one would assume it was written in the heyday of the cowboy. A little research finds it was written by real-life cowboy Michael Burton, but in a much more recent setting, circa 1975. It describes how one cowboy chose career over true love and how he sometimes thinks about what might have been. Those thoughts don’t linger long, however, as he quickly remembers why he chose the life of a cowboy on the range. The tune has been recorded by everyone from Chris LeDoux to Garth Brooks and Nanci Griffith, but Suzy has one of the great versions of the tune. Here she is singing it with Jerry Jeff Walker.

“Should’ve Been A Cowboy” – Toby Keith

Despite the fact that he is as much at home on a horse as he is on a stage, Toby Keith laments in this song that he should have been a cowboy. The Oklahoma native thinks he should have learned to rope and ride in a cattle drive, because he thinks as a cowboy he could have stolen the young girls’ hearts like his heroes, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Who among us hasn’t thought how glamorous it would be to be a cowboy on a big ranch somewhere out west, or at the very least, in a movie?

“Someday Soon” – Ian Tyson

Written by Ian Tyson, “Someday Soon” has been recorded by Judy Collins, Suzy Bogguss and many others and has charted in pop, folk and country. This 2009 video features Ian singing it – and you can see Suzy’s version HERE. Continue Reading

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Cowboy Jack Clement, famed musician and producer, lost his Nashville home of 40 years in a fire Saturday morning, reports The Tennessean. Jack’s girlfriend, Aleene Jackson, and others escaped the home unharmed. Priceless music memorabilia and memories were lost in the fire.

One possession was saved from the fire, however. “I got my baby,” Cowboy Jack said of a Gibson J200 guitar he bought in 1951 while still in the Marines. The guitar was scratched by Elvis Presley’s belt buckle.

Cowboy Jack has been the producer behind such music as Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” as well as sessions with Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Charlie Rich. He developed the careers of Charley Pride and George Jones and stepped outside the country genre to produce three tracks for U2’s Rattle and Hum album and also produced an album for Louis Armstrong. Continue Reading

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l-r: Josh Turner photo courtesy of UMG Nashville; Carrie Underwood photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville; Blake Shelton photo courtesy of WBR Nashville.

The Grand Ole Opry and Cracker Barrel have teamed up to release four new albums. The three-CD series Grand Ole Opry Classic Collection and the contemporary Our Kind of Country albums together feature more than 50 legendary and contemporary country music stars spanning six decades.

“The classic collection is truly ‘classic’ in every sense of the word,” said Julie Craig, marketing manager for Cracker Barrel.  “It’s as close to an Opry experience as you can get without actually being in the Opry House.  Listeners will enjoy high quality sound on every track, songs by historically renowned artists and enduring examples of some truly great performances. And Our Kind Of Country is an incredible showcase of the Opry’s current superstars and more recent additions—a dozen of the Opry’s best available on one CD for the first time.”

Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Martina McBride and more are featured on the Our Kind of Country album. All artists are Grand Ole Opry members and have collectively won every major award presented by the Country Music Association. Continue Reading

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Hank Williams photo courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will present a special program honoring Hank Williams on April 16. Titled “I Saw the Light: Songwriters Salute Hank,” the program will feature Rodney Crowell, Ashley Monroe, The Secret Sisters and Steve Young. I Saw the Light, which is presented in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibition Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, Presented by SunTrust, will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum’s Ford Theater; it is included with Museum admission and is free to Museum members.

During the program, which will be hosted by Family Tradition co-curator Michael McCall, each artist will perform one or more of Hank’s classic songs, as well as some of their own compositions that were influenced or inspired by Williams. They will also discuss how Hank influenced their work. Continue Reading

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Ralph Mooney photo courtesy of Marty Martel.

Steel Guitar Hall of Fame member Ralph Mooney has passed away at the age of 82. According to the LA Times, Ralph passed away at his home in Kennedale, Texas following complications from cancer. His most recent recording was Marty Stuart’s 2010 release Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions. He was one of the key developers of the Bakersfield sound in the 1950s and co-wrote “Crazy Arms,” which became a No. 1 hit for Ray Price in 1956.

Born September 16, 1928 in Duncan, Oklahoma, Ralph became interested in music as a child. When he relocated to California to live with a sister, he was taught to play guitar, mandolin and fiddle. He was 12 years old when he first saw a steel guitar and became interested in learning the instrument after he heard Leon McAuliffe’s recording of “Steel Guitar Rag.” He picked up a knife to use as a bar and learned to play the song on his flat top guitar.

Ralph first played in amateur bands and worked for a time for the Douglas Aircraft Company. After playing with local band Lindsey And His Oklahoma Nightriders, he joined Skeets McDonald’s band and made his first recordings. With the help of Jesse Ashlock, he refined his skills, playing a self-built steel guitar. In 1950, he was a regular on Squeakin’ Deacon’s radio show where he met Wynn Stewart and gained session work. He played on early Buck Owens’ tracks such as “Foolin’ Around” and “Under Your Spell Again” and also played lead guitar on Wynn’s first recordings for Capitol Records. Continue Reading

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James Otto photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

James Otto and Warner Bros. Nashville have mutually parted ways. James announced the split through his Twitter account on Monday. “Hey y’all Warner Brothers Records & I have mutually agreed it’s time to part ways. More news to come shortly,” James tweeted. He followed it with a statement regarding his departure.

“I have truly enjoyed the time I have spent working with Warner Brothers Records,” James said. “The staff is comprised of many talented individuals that I am proud to also call my friends. I know there will be many exciting years ahead for WB, especially with John Esposito at the helm.” Continue Reading

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Waylon Jennings

In 1975 Waylon Jennings topped the charts with “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” — an Outlaw’s response to critics saying his music was nothing like the traditional sound of Hank Williams, Sr. What’s funny is, today’s country artists are often criticized because their music is nothing like the traditional sound of Waylon Jennings.

With tomorrow’s premiere of GAC’s The Music Inside – Waylon Jennings: Breaking the Myth, we thought we’d post this classic clip of Waylon singing “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way.” You’ll notice Waylon’s sharing the stage with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. The legendary foursome toured and recorded off and on as The Highwaymen from 1985-1995.

When you’re finished watching Waylon’s original performance, click HERE to see Alabama honor him with their take on “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” from the tribute album Waylon Jennings: The Music Inside. And don’t forget to tune in for The Music Inside – Waylon Jennings: Breaking the Myth, which premieres Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9/8c on GAC!  Continue Reading

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Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Starting today, you can get a deluxe edition of Keith Urban‘s album Get Closer on iTunes, which includes three new studio tracks and four live recordings from his “Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing” World Tour.

This week, the track “Georgia Woods” from Get Closer is featured as the iTunes’ free download of the week. The song was written by Keith and Darrell Brown – and was originally written on Waylon Jennings‘ guitar, of which Keith is the current owner. “I wanted to use the guitar on some writing sessions and the riff that starts ‘Georgia Woods’ came straight out of that guitar,” he explains. “It’s like playing a holy grail.” Continue Reading

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Waylon Jennings tribute album.

Singer/songwriter Jessi Colter — and widow of country legend Waylon Jennings — is just one of the artists featured on the upcoming tribute album, The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylong Jennings, released tomorrow, Feb. 8. Jessi sings the classic “Good Hearted Woman” with Sunny Sweeney.

Also on the CD is an impressive roster of stars embodying Waylon’s outlaw spirit, including Trace Adkins, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon and Jessi’s son Shooter Jennings, and many more. GAC will premiere Breaking the Myth: Waylon Jennings on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m., a special that follows the making of the tribute album.

If you asked each artist above to name their favorite Waylon songs, we’re guessing the lists would be quite varied. Jessi recently stopped by the GAC studio to talk about the CD — and we couldn’t resist asking the woman who knew Waylon best to tell us which tunes were the most special to her. Watch the clip below for Jessi’s faves — and tell us which Waylon songs are YOUR favorites!! Continue Reading

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Waylon Jennings

We’re always on the lookout for fun countdown lists.  Billboard.com is one of our favorite sites, not only for all the country song and album charts, but also for the unique and always debatable Top 10 lists they put out.  This time around, they’re serving up their picks for the Top 10 TV Theme Songs 1980-2011.   I grew up with most of these shows so it was fun to take a trip down memory lane.   From the country side of things, Waylon Jennings checks in at No. 6 with his smash hit theme song from The Dukes of Hazzard.   The song hit the top of the country charts and peaked out at No. 21 on Billboard’s Top 100 chart back in 1980.  Here’s a clip of the opener for you followed by the full list…

Billboard’s Top 10 TV Theme Songs 1980-2011: Continue Reading

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