Cowboy (band)

Cowboy

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1969
Headquarters	Jacksonville, Florida , United States
Products	Albums, singles

Cowboy was a United States-based country rock and southern rock ensemble that originated in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969. The band’s foundation rested on the songwriting partnership of Tommy Talton and Scott Boyer, accompanied by a fluctuating roster of musicians. Throughout the 1970s, they produced four albums under Capricorn Records: Reach for the Sky (1970), 5'll Getcha Ten (1971), Boyer and Talton (1974), and Cowboy (1977). Their most notable track, "Please Be with Me," featured Duane Allman and was subsequently interpreted by Eric Clapton on his album 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974).

Musically, their style was often likened to that of Hearts & Flowers, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Pure Prairie League. Steve Leggett from Allmusic characterized Cowboy as "one of Capricorn Records' and Southern rock's best-kept secrets during the genre's golden age." The band reunited in 2007, leading to a studio album released in 2018 titled 10'll Getcha Twenty, alongside a live recording named Boyer & Talton: Cowboy Reunion 2010.

Biography

The inception of Cowboy took place in 1969, initiated by Scott Boyer and Tommy Talton, who were joined by Bill Pillmore, George Clark, Pete Kowalke, and Tom Wynn. The group members lived collectively in Jacksonville, where they also rehearsed. Prior to forming Cowboy, Boyer had collaborated with Duane Allman and Gregg Allman in the folk-rock outfit the 31st of February. It was Duane Allman who introduced them to Phil Walden at Capricorn Records. Aside from Talton and Boyer, the band's lineup was subject to frequent changes; both Talton and Boyer became prominent session musicians for Capricorn-associated acts such as the Allman Brothers, Gregg Allman, Alex Taylor, and Bonnie Bramlett. Their initial album, Reach for the Sky, debuted in 1971, followed by 5'll Getcha Ten later that year, which included "Please Be with Me" featuring Allman on dobro.

By 1972, most of the original lineup had departed to explore other endeavors. Talton and Boyer persisted under the Cowboy name, providing support for Gregg Allman’s solo project Laid Back (1973) and its subsequent tour, which was captured on the live album The Gregg Allman Tour (1974). Their third studio effort, Boyer & Talton, emerged in 1974; their last self-titled record followed in 1977. According to Leggett, the 1976 release Happy to Be Alive, credited to Talton, Bill Stewart, and Johnny Sandlin, bears strong resemblance to Cowboy’s signature sound.

Following intermittent collaborations over time, Boyer and Talton revived Cowboy in 2007. They laid down new tracks at Sandlin's Duck Tape Studio located in Decatur, Alabama; however, technical difficulties postponed the album’s release. In 2010, they held their first live performance in more than thirty years at Macon's Cox Capital Theatre with Bill Stewart, Stan Robertson on bass, and Randall Bramblett handling keyboards and saxophone duties. This concert was later issued as the live album Boyer & Talton: Cowboy Reunion 2010 in 2011.

Scott Boyer passed away on February 13, 2018; Tommy Talton honored his songwriting prowess and enduring influence. Later that same year, the previously unreleased recordings from 2007 were finally released as 10'll Getcha Twenty, representing the last collaboration between the original members and producer Sandlin. Tommy Talton died on December 28, 2023, aged 74.

Discography

Albums

Studio Releases

• Reach for the Sky (1970)
• 5'll Getcha Ten (1971)
• Boyer & Talton (1974)
• Cowboy (1977)
• 10'll Getcha Twenty (2018)

Live Recordings

• Boyer & Talton: Cowboy Reunion 2010 (2011)

Compilation Collections

• Why Quit When You're Losing (1973)
• The Best of Cowboy - A Different Time (1993)

Singles

• "It's Time" (1970)
• "A Patch & A Pain Killer" (1974)
• "I Will Be There (Pat's Song)" (1977)
• "Takin' It All The Way" (1977)
• "10'll Getcha Twenty" (2018)

External links

• AllMusic artist profile for Cowboy
• Cowboy artist page on Discogs