George Strait, the famed country music legend, took to the stage at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth to honor Roy Cooper.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The most famous cowboy in the world says he can count the number of best friends he has on one hand. And Roy Cooper was one of them.
That bond was never more apparent than Monday afternoon, when George Strait, the famed country music legend, took to the stage at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth to honor Cooper, the rodeo roping legend who died in a house fire last month at his home near Decatur.
Strait wasn’t there to perform a song. Instead, he gave a heartfelt — and, in moments, lighthearted — speech in memory of Cooper, whom Strait met at a rodeo event in Oklahoma City more than 40 years ago. Strait told tales of their antics together, including an impromptu horse race in front of dignitaries and how Cooper, a world champion roper known as the “Super Looper,” tried to lasso Stevie Nicks at a Kentucky Derby afterparty.
But Strait was also visibly shaken by the loss of Cooper, at one point stepping back from the podium and placing his hand on his chest to compose himself.
“He was my hero,” Strait told the crowd. “We shared a lot of good and bad times together. He didn’t hang out with me, I hung out with him.”
Watch Strait’s full speech:
Strait wasn’t the only big name who paid tribute to Cooper. Reba McEntire, another country music legend, recorded a video message for the memorial. Country singer Tanya Tucker gave a tearful speech and sang a few verses from “High Ridin’ Horses,” Cooper’s favorite song. Bull riding world champion Ty Murray told the crowd about growing up watching Cooper compete for world titles.
“This guy didn’t just inspire calf ropers,” Murray said. “He was a real sports hero.”
Weeks after Cooper’s death, the speakers on Monday remained in shock at his loss.
“A few months ago, we couldn’t possibly imagine this is where we were gonna be this Memorial Day,” Strait said.
The day after Cooper died, Strait had released a statement, calling Cooper his hero.
While Strait is famous as a country singer, one of his biggest passions has always been rodeo, specifically roping. He connected with Cooper at a rodeo in Oklahoma City in 1983. The two had been close friends ever since.
“Roy was one of the ones they made that saying about, that they broke the mold when they made him” Strait said. “They sure did.”
Strait told the story about one year at the All-American Futurity horse races, and how him and Cooper had been there all day long, betting on horses and “having us a big ol’ time.” When the final race came around, the event organizers asked Cooper and Strait if they would be willing to ride in the pre-race parade with dignitaries, including the governor of New Mexico.
“We were feeling pretty good about ourselves, so we said OK,” Strait recalled with a grin.
Strait and Cooper saddled up and rode down the track with the parade. When they reached the end to head back toward the main grandstand, Cooper looked at Strait.
“You wanna race?” Strait remembered Cooper asking him. “Before I could say, ‘Hell yeah,’ we were gone, baby. We rode as hard as we could right back in front of the grandstands. Nobody knew what was going on. And we didn’t really care.”
Cooper always told Strait he won that race, but Strait wouldn’t admit to it.
“But I guess I will now,” Strait said Monday. “He got me by a nose.”
The Kentucky Derby was another place the two friends hung out, and it’s where Cooper met Stevie Nicks, the Fleetwood Mac star.
“I look around and Roy’s trying to left-foot (rope) Stevie Nicks,” Strait said. “I swear. Years later I ran into her somewhere and she said, ‘Hey, where’s that crazy cowboy that tried to rope me at the Derby?’ He always made a big impression, ol’ Roy.”
Strait told the crowd about how much he’ll miss Cooper.
“He was a good man,” Strait said, then he had to step away from the podium for a moment.
“Boy, did he love his family, and he loved the Lord,” Strait said. “If the good Lord chooses me to go to Paradise sometime, where I know Roy is, I’m just gonna say … let’s race.”