Person · Male
Ry Cooder
guitarist, singer, and songwriter
- From
- Los Angeles, United States
- Since
- 1947–present
- Releases
- 82
- folk
- rock
- americana
- roots rock
About
Ryland Peter Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, record producer, and writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in traditional music, and his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.
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Cooder's solo work draws upon many genres. He has played with John Lee Hooker, Captain Beefheart, Taj Mahal, Gordon Lightfoot, Ali Farka Touré, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Linda Ronstadt, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, David Lindley, the Chieftains, Warren Zevon, Manuel Galbán, the Doobie Brothers, Little Feat, and Carla Olson and the Textones (on record and film). He formed the band Little Village in 1991. He produced the album Buena Vista Social Club (1997), featuring traditional musicians in Cuba, which became a worldwide hit. Wim Wenders directed the documentary film of the same name (1999), which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000.
Cooder was ranked at No. 8 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time", while a 2010 list by Gibson Guitar Corporation placed him at No. 32. In 2011, he published a collection of short stories called Los Angeles Stories.
Member of
Discography
Albums
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Ry Cooder Apple Music
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Boomer’s Story
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Into the Purple Valley Apple Music
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Jamming With Edward!
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Paradise and Lunch Apple Music
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Chicken Skin Music Apple Music
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Jazz Apple Music
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Bop Till You Drop Apple Music
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Borderline Apple Music
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The Slide Area Apple Music
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Get Rhythm
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A Meeting by the River
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Talking Timbuktu
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Hollow Bamboo
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Mambo sinuendo
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Chávez Ravine Apple Music
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My Name Is Buddy Apple Music
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I, Flathead Apple Music
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San Patricio
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Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down Apple Music
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Feeling Good
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Election Special Apple Music
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The Prodigal Son Apple Music
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Cambridge Folk Festival UK Broadcast 1979
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Tokyo Warning
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GET ON BOARD
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Show Time Complete Version - Great American Music Hall 1976-
EPs
Live
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Live at the Main Point 1972
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Osaka 1979
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Vienna 1995
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Smack Dab in the Middle
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Santa Cruz: Big Band Broadcast 1987
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Alive In America
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Two Long Riders: Montreux Broadcast 1990
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Ebbets Field
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Broadcast From The Plant. 1974, Record Plant, Sausalito, CA
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Live in Hamburg 1977
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Live in San Francisco
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Down At The Field: The 1974 Broadcast
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Live at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA, March 25, 1987
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Slide on Dropdown D
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Show Time Apple Music
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Live at the Bottom Line '74
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2008‐10‐02: Benefit for the Richard deLone Special Housing Project, Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Acoustic Performance Radio Branch 12-12-1974
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1974-07-23: The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, USA
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1990-07-03: Theater Carre, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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1974-05-20: Ebbets Field, Denver, CO, USA
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Stand by Me
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The Family Tour
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1990-08-25: French's Camp, Eel River Festival, Garberville, CA, USA
Compilations
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Vigilante Man
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Transmission Impossible (Legendary Radio Broadcasts Feat. David Lindley)
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50 Years: The Very Best of Ry Cooder
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Soundtracks Apple Music
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1970–1987
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The Ry Cooder Anthology: The UFO Has Landed Apple Music
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The Soundtracks: The Border / Alamo Bay
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Music by Ry Cooder
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River Rescue: The Very Best of Ry Cooder
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If Walls Could Sing
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Why Don't You Try Me Tonight: The Best of Ry Cooder
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Ry Cooder Apple Music
Other
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Live At The Cotati Cabaret 1983
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Primary Colors
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The End of Violence Apple Music
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Last Man Standing
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Geronimo: An American Legend
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Trespass
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Johnny Handsome Apple Music
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Pecos Bill
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Blue City Apple Music
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Crossroads: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
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Paris, Texas Apple Music
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Alamo Bay Apple Music
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The Border
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The Long Riders
Links
Listen
Official
Concerts
Buy
Parent
Also known as
Ryland Cooder · Ryland Peter Cooder
Tags
- classic pop and rock
- film soundtrack
- guitar
- ry cooder
- soundtrack
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- a4e2650b-938b-4b72-95bc-6e229cd34601
- ISNI
- 0000000121375045
- IPI
- 00006703315
- IPI
- 00040649689
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 11 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.