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Step 1
Discover the origins of cowboy music. This music began as ballads written by and about the American settlers living in the American West in the late 1800s and early to mid-1900s. Learning more about the cultural history and era will foster an appreciation for the music that came from it.
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Step 2
Listen to a variety of cowboy tunes to find artists you appreciate and songs you relate to. Early cowboy singers include Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and the Sons of the Pioneers. The more modern Michael Martin Murphey labels himself a "singing cowboy poet."
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Step 3
Begin adding Cowboy Music to your collection. Many older titles have been transferred to CDs and can be listened to online for free, or downloaded to iPods and MP3 portable music players. More recent recordings can be purchased from the artists and from music stores and outlets. Look for some classic Bar J. Wranglers and Skip Gorman numbers.
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Step 4
Listen to the music as well as to the story. Many cowboy songs include a spoken section, often telling a funny story or exposing an aspect of life that you may relate to or find entertaining.
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Step 5
Share your favorites with your family and friends. You'll enjoy the music more if others are enjoying it with you instead of asking to change the track.
