Cooder Graw

Cooder Graw is a Texas-based country band known for their high-energy blend of Red Dirt grit, outlaw swagger, and honky-tonk heart. Emerging from the West Texas town of Amarillo in the late 1990s, the band quickly built a loyal following with their dynamic live shows and a sound that bridged traditional country and raw-edged rock. Often described as “loud country,” Cooder Graw carved out a distinctive niche in the Texas music scene that resonated with fans looking for authenticity and attitude.

The band was formed by frontman Matt Martindale, a former rodeo cowboy turned singer-songwriter, alongside guitarist Kelly Turner and bassist Paul Baker. Their self-titled debut album arrived in 1999 and was followed by the critically praised Shifting Gears in 2001, which included fan favorites like “Better Days” and “Willie’s Guitar.” Produced by the late Grammy-winner Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, the album solidified their place in the Texas country landscape.

Cooder Graw is perhaps best known for “Llano Estacado,” which became a staple on regional radio and captured the spirit of the rugged Texas plains. Their songs often celebrate small-town life, heartbreak, and the hard-working ethos of the Southwest—all delivered with driving rhythms, gritty vocals, and an unmistakable livewire energy.

While the band officially announced a hiatus in 2006, they’ve reunited periodically over the years for select shows and new recordings, continuing to draw enthusiastic crowds across Texas and beyond. Their influence can still be felt in the Red Dirt and Texas country movements, inspiring a new generation of independent artists to follow their own path.

With a sound as untamed as the West Texas wind, Cooder Graw remains a powerful voice in the story of modern Texas music—loud, proud, and unmistakably original.