Introduction
“The Cowboy Rides Away,” penned by Sonny Throckmorton and Casey Kelly, emerged in January 1985 as the second single from George Strait’s album Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind . The track climbed to No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart and reached No. 3 in Canada . Its wistful narrative—a cowboy quietly riding away from a failed relationship to protect both hearts—resonated with fans, earning it the status of a modern country standard .
Over time, the song transcended its origins, becoming a signature closing number for Strait’s concerts—a poignant farewell that both encapsulates and honors the cowboy mythos he embodies . In fact, the song’s emotional weight and symbolic closure inspired the title of Strait’s farewell concert series, The Cowboy Rides Away Tour (2013–2014), which concluded on June 7, 2014, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. That final show drew a record-breaking 104,793 fans and featured numerous guest stars, immortalized in the live album The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium .
Fast-forward to July 19, 2025, when George Strait revisited this iconic moment during his rare West Coast stadium appearance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. This show capped a five-concert stadium run co-headlined with Chris Stapleton and special guest Little Big Town . As the evening’s climactic encore, “The Cowboy Rides Away” carried a profound emotional charge—symbolizing not an end, but a testament to Strait’s enduring spirit and the neverending bond between artist and audience.
In this live performance, the song’s enduring appeal shone through—its narrative of bittersweet departure echoing across a modern coliseum, yet retaining the intimate heart that made it a country classic. It was a timeless moment, honoring tradition while celebrating legacy.