“Cane Cooper” Almost Replaced George Strait?! A long-distance call and a virtual cup of coffee with old friend Roy Cooper uncovered a goldmine of behind-the-scenes stories from the 60th Annual Western Heritage Awards in Oklahoma City. There, Roy sat alongside country music legend George Strait – honored with the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award – and legendary actor Robert Duvall, recipient of the 2020 award. Roy shared: 🗣️ “George said when he first arrived in Nashville in 1981, his producer at MCA told him to take off his hat and change his name to… Cane Cooper. George laughed, ‘Well, that would’ve made me one of the Cooper boys. But me and Roy are brothers anyway.’” When Roy asked Robert Duvall what his favorite movie was, he expected The Godfather. But Duvall answered without hesitation: 🎬 “Without a doubt — Lonesome Dove.” And on his way to the airport this morning, the 90-year-old Duvall called back to say: 👉 “Roy, this is Bobby Duvall. Tell that Brazile boy I said hi, and I want to see your son Tuf rope someday.” George Strait? Still witty and down-to-earth as ever: 🎶 “My favorite song? The one that made me the most money.” 😄 And Roy? Someone in the crowd brought up a legendary stat: 🏆 In 1978, he won Cheyenne, Calgary, and Pendleton — all in the same season. A true “Triple Crown” cowboy. As for George Strait — the hat stayed on that night. And the name? Still George Strait, just as destiny intended.

Introduction

“Cowboys Like Us,” written by Bob DiPiero and Anthony Smith, was released on August 11, 2003, as the second single from George Strait’s 22nd studio album, Honkytonkville. Co-produced by Strait alongside Tony Brown, the song embodies a classic blend of outlaw-country roots and honky-tonk flair.

Set against the backdrop of early-2000s country music, “Cowboys Like Us” explores the timeless mythos of the free-spirited cowboy—but with a modern twist. Its memorable chorus paints a portrait not of horse-riding ranchers, but bikers: “steel horses with wheels” become the renegade steeds of a new rugged breed . The track rides high on George Strait’s warm, steadfast baritone, melding nostalgia with contemporary swagger.

Critically and commercially, the song struck a chord. It debuted at No. 57 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart the week of August 9, 2003, climbing steadily to reach a peak position of No. 2 on December 13 . It held that spot behind Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar” and ended the year ranked No. 53 on the 2003 year-end country charts. Its success helped Honkytonkville earn platinum status, even as the album produced only one other top-10 single .

The song has since endured as a fan favorite. In 2014, Strait invited Eric Church to join him in performing “Cowboys Like Us” during his farewell concert at AT&T Stadium—a show attended by over 104,000 people, symbolizing its resonance across generations.

Rooted in Strait’s neotraditional Texas-country identity, “Cowboys Like Us” bridges classic and contemporary motifs. It pays homage to the cowboy archetype—reimagined for the 21st century—and underscores Strait’s enduring ability to evolve while staying true to his roots.

Video

Lyrics

I take off time to time
With those crazy friends of mine
Head out on steel horses
With wheels and we ride
We burn up that road to old Mexico
Blend in with the desert
Just we amigos
And we roll
And cowboys like us sure do have fun
Racing the wind, chasing the sun
Take the long way around back to square one
Today we’re just outlaws out on the run
There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such
For cowboys like us
We talk about living, babies and women
All that we’ve lost and all we’ve been giving
We sing about true love, lie about things we ain’t doneBest gifts for your loved ones
Drink one more cold one, come morning get up
And we roll
Cowboys like us sure do have fun
Racing the wind, chasing the sun
Take the long way around back to square one
Today we’re just outlaws out on the run
There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such
For cowboys like us
Cowboys like us sure do have fun
Racing the wind, chasing the sun
Take the long way around back to square one
Today we’re just outlaws out on the run
There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such
For cowboys like us
Cowboys like us