View source for Ry Cooder

{{short description|American musician (born 1947)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|image           = Ry Cooder playing.jpg
|name            = Ry Cooder
|caption         = Cooder performing in June 2009
|background      = solo_singer
|birth_name      = Ryland Peter Cooder
|alias           =
|birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1947|3|15}}
|birth_place     = Los Angeles, [[California]], U.S.
|death_date      =
|death_place     =
|origin          = [[Santa Monica, California]], U.S.
|instrument      = {{flatlist|
*[[Guitar]]
*[[bass guitar|bass]]
*[[mandolin]]
*[[bouzouki]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/arts/music/review-ry-cooder-ricky-skaggs-and-the-whites-a-roots-music-celebration.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|title=Review: Ry Cooder, Ricky Skaggs and the Whites, a Roots-Music Celebration|first=Nate|last=Chinen|date=November 15, 2015}}</ref>
*[[banjo]]
*[[slide guitar]]
}}
|genre           = {{flatlist|
*[[Americana (music)|Americana]]
*[[roots rock]]
*[[folk music|folk]]
*[[blues]]
*[[Tejano music|Tex-Mex]]
*[[country music|country]]
*[[gospel music|gospel]]
*[[world music]]
}}
|occupation      = {{flatlist|
*Musician
*songwriter
*film score composer
*record producer
*writer
}}
|years_active    = 1967–present
|label           = {{flatlist|
*[[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
*[[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch]]
*[[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
*[[Rising Son Records|Rising Son]]
*[[Reprise Records|Reprise]]
}}
|website         = {{URL|http://rycooder.com|RyCooder.com}}
}}

'''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.

Cooder's solo work draws upon many genres. He has played with [[John Lee Hooker]], [[Captain Beefheart]], [[Taj Mahal (musician)|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 (musician)|David Lindley]], [[the Chieftains]], [[Warren Zevon]], [[Manuel Galbán]], [[the Doobie Brothers]], [[Little Feat]], and [[Carla Olson|Carla Olson and the Textones]] (on record and film). He formed the band [[Little Village]], and produced the album ''[[Buena Vista Social Club (album)|Buena Vista Social Club]]'' (1997), which became a worldwide hit; [[Wim Wenders]] directed the [[Buena Vista Social Club (film)|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",<ref name="RS100">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time-19691231 |title=The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=September 18, 2003 |access-date=August 28, 2011}}</ref> while a 2010 list by [[Gibson Guitar Corporation]] placed him at No. 32.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gibson.com Reveals Top 50 Guitarists, Plus Readers Poll Results |url=http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/gibson-reveals-0528/ |publisher=Gibson Guitar Corporation |date=May 28, 2010 |access-date=June 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601042203/http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Lifestyle/Features/gibson%2Dreveals%2D0528/ |archive-date=June 1, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2011, he published a collection of short stories called ''[[Los Angeles Stories]]''.

==Early life==
Ryland Peter Cooder was born in Los Angeles, [[California]], on March 15, 1947,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/135961/Ry-Cooder |title=Ry Cooder |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |first=Charlie |last=Gillett |author-link=Charlie Gillett |access-date=August 30, 2011}}</ref> the son of Emma (''née'' Casaroli) and Bill Cooder.<ref name="Parma" /> His mother's family emigrated from [[Parma, Italy]].<ref name="Parma">{{Cite news |date=February 19, 2000 |title=String of Pearls: Cuba's Music Revolution |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_CQ4EAAAAMBAJ/mode/2up |access-date=November 3, 2025 |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |pages=3}}</ref>

He was raised in [[Santa Monica, California]], and graduated from [[Santa Monica High School]] in 1964.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/mar/04/jazz.popandrock |work=[[The Guardian]] |title=Interview – From the Dust |date=March 3, 2007 |access-date=February 18, 2016}}</ref> During the 1960s he briefly attended [[Reed College]] in [[Portland, Oregon]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Who Put The Honky Tonk in 'Honky Tonk Women'? |author=Wilkinson, Alec |work=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |url=http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0699-JUN_COODER_rev_2 |date=June 1, 1999 |access-date=June 2, 2009}}</ref> He began playing the guitar when he was three years old.<ref name=rs/> 

At the age of four, he accidentally stuck a knife in his left eye; he has sported a [[Ocular prosthesis|glass eye]] ever since.<ref name=rs>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Ry Cooder |encyclopedia=The [[Rolling Stone]] Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll |publisher=Touchstone |edition=revised, updated |year=2001 |isbn=978-0743201209}}</ref>

==Career==

=== 1960s ===
Cooder performed as part of a [[Pickup group|pickup trio]] with [[Bill Monroe]] and [[Doc Watson]], in which he played [[banjo]]. The trio was not successful, but reflecting his early exposure to the instrument, Cooder subsequently applied banjo tunings and the [[Scruggs style|three finger roll]] to guitar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roanoke.com/arts_and_entertainment/back-to-the-banjo-ry-cooder-returns-to-his-early/article_7a5f0c6d-d0d9-5af7-a83b-2fb2d0ea0644.html |title=Back to the banjo: Ry Cooder returns to his early instrument |website=Roanoke.com |date=August 13, 2015 |access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>

Cooder first attracted attention playing with [[Captain Beefheart|Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band]], notably on the 1967 album ''[[Safe as Milk]]'', after previously having worked with [[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]] and [[Ed Cassidy]] in the [[Rising Sons]]. At a vital "warm-up" performance at the [[Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival|Mt. Tamalpais Festival]] (June 10–11, 1967) shortly before the scheduled [[Monterey Pop Festival]] (June 16–18, 1967), the band began to play "[[Electricity (Captain Beefheart song)|Electricity]]" and [[Don Van Vliet]] froze, straightened his tie, then walked off the {{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}} stage and landed on manager [[Bob Krasnow]]. He later claimed he had seen a girl in the audience turn into a fish, with bubbles coming from her mouth.<ref>French, John. ''Beefheart: Through The Eyes Of Magic'', p.253. {{ISBN|978-0-9561212-1-9}}</ref> This aborted any opportunity for breakthrough success at Monterey, for Cooder immediately decided he could no longer work with Van Vliet,<ref>{{cite video |people=Elaine Shepard (producer), Declan Smith (film research) |title=The Artist Formerly Known as Captain Beefheart |medium=Documentary |publisher=BBC |date=1997}}</ref> effectively quitting both the event and the band on the spot. Cooder also played with [[Randy Newman]], including on ''[[12 Songs (Randy Newman album)|12 Songs]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Deming |first=Mark |title=12 Songs – Randy Newman |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r14019 |pure_url=yes}} |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=September 5, 2011}}</ref> [[Van Dyke Parks]] worked with Newman and Cooder during the 1960s. Parks arranged Cooder's "One Meatball" according to Parks' 1984 interview with Bob Claster.

Cooder was a [[session musician]] on various recording sessions with [[the Rolling Stones]] in 1968 and 1969, and his contributions appear on the albums ''[[Let It Bleed]]'' ([[Yank Rachell|Yank Rachell-style]] [[mandolin]] on "[[Love in Vain]]"), and ''[[Sticky Fingers]]'', on which he contributed the slide guitar on "[[Sister Morphine]]". During this period, Cooder joined with [[Mick Jagger]], [[Charlie Watts]], [[Bill Wyman]], and longtime Rolling Stones [[sideman]] [[Nicky Hopkins]] to record ''[[Jamming with Edward!]]''. Cooder also played slide guitar for the 1970 film soundtrack ''[[Performance (soundtrack)|Performance]]'', which contained Jagger's first solo single, "[[Memo from Turner]]". The 1975 [[compilation album]] ''[[Metamorphosis (Rolling Stones album)|Metamorphosis]]'' features an uncredited Cooder contribution to Bill Wyman's "Downtown Suzie".

Cooder also collaborated with [[Lowell George]] of [[Little Feat]], playing [[Slide guitar|bottleneck guitar]] on the original version of "[[Willin' (Little Feat song)|Willin']]".<ref>{{cite web |title=Little Feat – Little Feat &#124; Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/little-feat-mw0000653350/credits |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=February 5, 2010}}</ref> He also played bottleneck guitar and mandolin on two tracks on the Gordon Lightfoot album ''[[Sit Down Young Stranger]]'' (later re-titled ''If You Could Read My Mind''), recorded in late 1969 and released in early 1970.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rylanders.free-online.co.uk/RySite/RyPages/SitDownStranger.html |title=Gordon Lightfoot Sit Down Young Stranger |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Rylanders: Ry Cooder Discography|access-date=September 18, 2022}}</ref>

===1970s===
Throughout the 1970s, Cooder released a series of [[Warner Bros. Records]] albums that showcased his guitar work, initially on the [[Reprise Records]] label, before being reassigned to the main Warners label along with many of Reprise's artists when the company retired the imprint. Cooder explored bygone musical [[genres]] and found old-time recordings which he then personalized and updated. Thus, on his breakthrough album, ''[[Into the Purple Valley]]'', he chose unusual instrumentations and arrangements of blues, gospel, [[calypso music|calypso]], and country songs (giving a tempo change to the cowboy ballad "Billy the Kid"). The album opened with the song "How Can You Keep on Moving (Unless You Migrate Too)" by [[Agnes "Sis" Cunningham]] about the [[Okie]]s who were not welcomed when they migrated west to escape the [[Dust Bowl]] in the 1930s – to which Cooder gave a rousing-yet-satirical march accompaniment. In 1970 he collaborated with Ron Nagle and performed on his ''Bad Rice'' album released on Warner Brothers. His later 1970s albums (with the exception of ''[[Jazz (Ry Cooder album)|Jazz]]'', which explored ragtime/vaudeville) do not fall under a single genre description, but his self-titled first album could be described as blues; ''Into the Purple Valley'', ''[[Boomer's Story]]'', and ''[[Paradise and Lunch]]'' as [[folk music|folk]] and blues; ''[[Chicken Skin Music]]'' and ''Showtime'' as a mix of [[Tejano music|Tex-Mex]] and [[Hawaiian music|Hawaiian]]; ''[[Bop Till You Drop]]'' as 1950s [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]; and ''[[Borderline (Ry Cooder album)|Borderline]]'' and ''Get Rhythm'' as rock-based. His 1979 album ''Bop Till You Drop'' was the first [[popular music]] album released that was [[digital recording|recorded digitally]], using the early 3M digital mastering recorder.<ref name="Mixonline 2007">{{cite web | title=1978 3M Digital Audio Mastering System | website=Mixonline | date=2007-09-01 | url=https://www.mixonline.com/technology/1978-3m-digital-audio-mastering-system-377974 | access-date=2023-03-18}}</ref> It yielded his biggest [[chart-topper|hit]], an R&B [[cover version]] of [[Elvis Presley]]'s 1960s recording "[[Little Sister (Elvis Presley song)|Little Sister]]".

Cooder is credited on [[Van Morrison]]'s 1979 album ''[[Into the Music]]'', for slide guitar on the song "[[Full Force Gale]]". He also played guitar on [[Judy Collins]]' 1970 concert tour, and is featured on ''[[Living (Judy Collins album)|Living]]'', the 1971 live album recorded during that tour. He also learned from and performed with [[Gabby Pahinui]] and [[Leland Isaacs, Sr.|"Atta" Isaacs]] in Hawaii during the [[Hawaiian Renaissance]] of the early 1970s. He is also credited for guitars on several 1971 recordings by [[Nancy Sinatra]] that were produced by Andy Wickman and Lenny Waronker – "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone", "Hook & Ladder", and "Glory Road". Cooder is credited as a mandolin player on Gordon Lightfoot's ''[[Don Quixote (album)|Don Quixote]]'' album in 1972.

===1980s===
Cooder has worked as a studio musician and has also scored many [[film soundtrack]]s including the [[Wim Wenders]] film ''[[Paris, Texas (film)|Paris, Texas]]'' (1984). Cooder based this soundtrack and title song "Paris, Texas" on [[Blind Willie Johnson]]'s "[[Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)]]", which he described as "the most soulful, transcendent piece in all American music".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austin360.com/music/content/music/blindwilliejohnson_092803.html;COXnetJSessionID=1ITtL0zcaTYPiiTPLjP1a2lrfOo25kwasby2KrVda2n1BrlyX13b!-615020192?urac=n&urvf=10701094852420.8419290445454791"|title=The Soul of Blind Willie Johnson:Retracing the life of the Texas music icon|author=Corcoran, Michael|website=Austin360.com|access-date=September 5, 2011|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819061919/http://www.austin360.com/music/content/music/blindwilliejohnson_092803.html|archive-date=August 19, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Musician [[Dave Grohl]] has declared Cooder's score for ''Paris, Texas'' one of his favorite albums.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pYG5eRoSTJwC&pg=PA57 |page=57| last=Greenwald |first=Andy |title=The Chosen Foo|journal=Spin|date=August 2005}}</ref> In 2018 Cooder told [[BBC Radio 4]] listeners: "[Wenders] did a very good job at capturing the ambiance out there in the desert, just letting the microphones and the [[Nagra|nagra machine]] roll and get tones and sound from the desert itself, which I discovered was [[E♭ tuning|E♭]], was in the key of E♭ – that's the wind, you know, was nice. So we tuned everything to E♭."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p066rj49 "From Buena Vista to gospel and blues"]. ''BBC Radio 4: Best of Today'', 10 May 2018.</ref>

"Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)" was also the basis for Cooder's song "Powis Square" for the movie ''[[Performance (film)|Performance]]''. His other film work includes [[Walter Hill (filmmaker)|Walter Hill]]'s ''[[The Long Riders]]'' (1980), ''[[Southern Comfort (1981 film)|Southern Comfort]]'' (1981), ''[[Streets of Fire]]'' (1984), ''[[Brewster's Millions (1985 film)|Brewster's Millions]]'' (1985), ''[[Johnny Handsome]]'',<ref>''Johnny Handsome:Original Motion PictureSoundtrack'', Warner Bros. Records Inc.  CD liner notes, 1989</ref> ''[[Last Man Standing (1996 film)|Last Man Standing]]'' (1996), Hill's ''[[Trespass (1992 film)|Trespass]]'' (1992) and [[Mike Nichols]]' ''[[Primary Colors (film)|Primary Colors]]'' (1998). Cooder, along with [[Arlen Roth]], dubbed all slide and regular blues guitar parts in the 1986 film ''[[Crossroads (1986 film)|Crossroads]]'', a take on blues legend [[Robert Johnson (musician)|Robert Johnson]]. In 1988, Cooder produced the album by his longtime backing vocalists [[Bobby King]] and [[Terry Evans (musician)|Terry Evans]] on [[Rounder Records]] titled ''Live and Let Live''. He contributed his slide guitar work to every track. He also plays extensively on their 1990 self-produced Rounder release ''Rhythm, Blues, Soul & Grooves''. Cooder's music also appeared on two episodes of the television program ''Tales From the Crypt'': "The Man Who Was Death" and "The Thing From the Grave".<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/album/original-music-from-tales-from-the-crypt-w93724 Review of ''Tales From the Crypt''] by Steven McDonald, ''AllMusic.com''</ref>

In 1984, Cooder played on two songs on the debut album by Carla Olson & the Textones, ''Midnight Mission'' – "Carla's Number One is to Survive" and the previously unreleased [[Bob Dylan]] song "Clean Cut Kid". Shortly thereafter he was writing and recording the music for the film ''Blue City'' and asked the band to appear in the film performing. (He took them to the studio and produced "You Can Run" which he also played on.)

In 1985, Cooder was a guest artist on the song "Rough Edges" from [[Kim Carnes]]' album ''[[Barking at Airplanes]]''. Kim named her son Ry as a tribute to Ry Cooder.

Also in 1988, Cooder produced and featured in the [[Les Blank]]-directed concert documentary film ''Ry Cooder & The Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let's Have a Ball'' where he plays in collaboration with a selection of musicians famous in their various musical fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170532/|title=Ry Cooder & The Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let's Have a Ball (1988)|author=RondoHatton|date=August 31, 1991|work=IMDb|access-date=January 7, 2015}}</ref> The following year, he played a janitor in the [[Jim Henson]] series ''[[The Ghost of Faffner Hall]]'', in the episode "Music Is More Than Technique".<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/JvLkt_0dPP8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130709013916/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvLkt_0dPP8 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvLkt_0dPP8 |title=The Jim Henson Company YouTube Channel |publisher=[[YouTube]]|date=January 12, 2012 |access-date=June 10, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===1990s===
In the early 1990s, Cooder collaborated on two [[world music]] "crossover" albums, which blended the traditional American musical genres that Cooder has championed throughout his career with the contemporary improvised music of India and Africa. For ''[[A Meeting by the River]]'' (1993), which also featured his son [[Joachim Cooder]] on percussion, he teamed with [[Hindustani classical music|Hindustani]] classical musician [[Vishwa Mohan Bhatt|V.M. Bhatt]], a virtuoso of the [[Mohan Veena]] (a modified 20-string [[archtop guitar]] of Bhatt's own invention) and Sukhvinder Singh Namdhari also known as Pinky Tabla Player.

In 1993 he teamed up with multi-instrumentalist [[Ali Farka Touré]] from [[Mali]] to record the album ''[[Talking Timbuktu]]'', which he also produced. The album, released in 1994, also featured longtime Cooder collaborator [[Jim Keltner]] on drums, veteran blues guitarist [[Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown]], jazz bassist [[John Patitucci]] and African percussionists and musicians including [[Hamma Sankare]] and Oumar Toure. Both albums won the [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album|Best World Music Album]] in 1994 and 1995 respectively. Cooder also worked with [[Tuvans|Tuvan]] [[Overtone singing|throat singers]] for the score to the 1993 film ''[[Geronimo: An American Legend]]''.

In 1995 he performed in ''[[The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True]]'', a musical performance of the popular story at the [[Lincoln Center]] in New York to benefit the [[Children's Defense Fund]]. The performance was originally broadcast on both TBS and TNT. It was issued on CD and video in 1996.

In the late 1990s Cooder played a significant role in the increased appreciation of traditional [[Cuba]]n music, due to his collaboration as producer of the ''[[Buena Vista Social Club (album)|Buena Vista Social Club]]'' (1997) recording, which became a worldwide hit and revived the careers of some of the greatest surviving exponents of 20th century Cuban music. [[Wim Wenders]], who had previously directed 1984's ''[[Paris, Texas (film)|Paris, Texas]]'', directed a documentary film of the musicians involved, ''[[Buena Vista Social Club (film)|Buena Vista Social Club]]'' (1999), which was nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] in 2000.<ref name="NY Times">{{cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/176586/Buena-Vista-Social-Club/details |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208064255/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/176586/Buena-Vista-Social-Club/details |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 8, 2007 |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2007 |title=NY Times: Buena Vista Social Club |access-date=November 22, 2008}}</ref> The enterprise cost him a $25,000 fine for violating the [[United States embargo against Cuba]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/mar/04/jazz.popandrock|work=[[The Guardian]]|title=Interview – From the Dust|date=March 3, 2007|access-date=May 27, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-feb-06-ca-21581-story.html|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|title=With Help From Up High, Cooder's Back in Cuba|author= Hancock, Jay|date=February 6, 2001|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref>

===2000s===
Cooder's 2005 album ''[[Chávez Ravine (album)|Chávez Ravine]]'' was touted by his [[record label]] as being "a post-World War II-era American narrative of 'cool cats', radios, UFO sightings, J. Edgar Hoover, red scares, and baseball".<ref name=Nonesuch>{{cite web|url=http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/chavez-ravine|title= Chávez Ravine: About this album|date= May 29, 2008|publisher=Nonesuch Records|access-date=September 5, 2011}}</ref> The record is a tribute to the long-gone Los Angeles Latino enclave known as [[Chávez Ravine]]. Using real and imagined historical characters, Cooder and friends created an album that recollects various aspects of the poor but vibrant hillside [[Chicano]] community that no longer exists. Cooder says, "Here is some music for a place you don't know, up a road you don't go. Chávez Ravine, where the sidewalk ends."<ref name=Nonesuch/> Drawing from the various musical strains of Los Angeles, including [[conjunto]], R&B, Latin pop, and jazz, Cooder and friends conjure the ghosts of Chávez Ravine and Los Angeles at mid-century. On this fifteen-track album, sung in Spanish and English, Cooder is joined by [[East Los Angeles, California|East L.A.]] legends like Chicano music patriarch [[Lalo Guerrero]], [[Pachuco]] boogie king [[Don Tosti]], [[Thee Midniters]] front man Little Willie G, and [[Ersi Arvizu]], of The Sisters and [[El Chicano]].

Cooder's next record was released in 2007. Entitled ''[[My Name Is Buddy]]'', it tells the story of Buddy Red Cat, who travels and sees the world in the company of his like-minded friends, Lefty Mouse and Rev. Tom Toad. The entire recording is a parable of the working class progressivism<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7719791|title=Cooder's 'Buddy' Revives Tales of a Bygone America|publisher=NPR Music|date= March 6, 2007 |access-date=August 30, 2011}}</ref> of the first half of the American twentieth century, and even has a song featuring executed unionist [[Joe Hill (activist)|Joe Hill]]. ''My Name Is Buddy'' was accompanied by a booklet featuring a story and illustration (by [[Vincent Valdez]]) for each track, providing additional context to Buddy's adventures.

Cooder produced and performed on an album for [[Mavis Staples]] entitled ''[[We'll Never Turn Back]]'', which was released on April 24, 2007. The [[concept album]] focused on [[Gospel music|Gospel]] songs of the [[civil rights movement]] and also included two new original songs by Cooder.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56405/mavis-staples-gets-personal-on-anti-debut|title=Mavis Staples Gets Personal On Anti-Debut|author1=Cohen, Jonathan  |author2=Martens, Todd |name-list-style=amp |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=December 19, 2006|access-date=August 28, 2011}}</ref>

Cooder's album ''[[I, Flathead]]'' was released on June 24, 2008. It is the completion of his California trilogy. Based on the [[drag racing]] culture of the early 1960s, the album is set on the desert salt flats in southern California. The disc was also released as a deluxe edition with stories written by Cooder to accompany the music.

In late 2009, Cooder toured Japan, New Zealand, and Australia with [[Nick Lowe]], performing some of Lowe's songs and a selection of Cooder's own material, mainly from the 1970s. Joaquim Cooder (Ry's son) provided percussion, and [[Juliette Commagere]] and [[Alex Lilly]] contributed backing vocals.

The song "Diaraby", which Cooder recorded with [[Ali Farka Touré]], is used as the theme to ''[[The World (radio program)|The World]]'s'' Geo Quiz. ''The World'' is a radio show distributed by [[Public Radio International]].

In 2009, Cooder performed in ''[[The People Speak (film)|The People Speak]]'', a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian [[Howard Zinn]]'s ''[[A People's History of the United States]]''. Cooder performed with Bob Dylan and Van Dyke Parks on the documentary broadcast on December 13, 2009, on the [[History (U.S. TV channel)|History Channel]]. They played "[[Do Re Mi (Woody Guthrie song)|Do Re Mi]]" and reportedly a couple of other [[Woody Guthrie|Guthrie]] songs that were excluded from the final edit. He also traveled with the band [[Los Tigres del Norte]] and recorded the 2010 album ''[[San Patricio (album)|San Patricio]]'' with the Chieftains, [[Lila Downs]], [[Liam Neeson]], [[Linda Ronstadt]], [[Van Dyke Parks]], [[Los Cenzontles]], and Los Tigres.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/05/24/100524fa_fact_wilkinson |title=Onward and Upward with the Arts, "Immigration Blues"|author= Wilkinson, Alec |magazine=The New Yorker|date=May 24, 2010|access-date=June 3, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1069640/the-chieftains-featuring-ry-cooder-san-patricio|title=The Chieftains featuring Ry Cooder, "San Patricio"|publisher=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|author= Wood, Mikael|date=March 5, 2010 |access-date=June 3, 2010}}</ref>

===2010s===
[[File:Ry Cooder 19Aug2015 (2).jpg|thumb|right|Cooder playing the electric [[bouzouki]] in August 2015]]
In June 2010, responding to the passage of [[Arizona SB 1070]], he released the single "Quicksand", which tells the story of Mexicans attempting to emigrate to Arizona through the desert.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/ry-cooders-quicksand-response-arizona-immigration-law-available-itunes-proceeds-donated-maldef-2010-06-29|title=Ry Cooder's 'Quicksand', Response to Arizona Immigration Law, Now Available on iTunes; Proceeds Donated to MALDEF|publisher=Nonesuch Journal, [[Nonesuch Records]]|date=June 29, 2010|access-date=April 2, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2010-06-28-playlist29_N.htm|work=USA Today|title=The playlist: Sia's 'Fight,' Marah's 'Problem,' Cooder's 'Quicksand'|author= Gundersen, Edna|date= June 28, 2010|access-date=April 2, 2011}}</ref>
Cooder's critically acclaimed<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-ry-cooder-pull-up-some-dust-and-sit-down-nonesuch-2347604.html|title=Album: Ry Cooder, Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down (Nonesuch)
|author= Gill, Andy|work=The Independent |date= September 2, 2011|access-date=September 4, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/sep/01/ry-cooder-pull-up-review|title=Ry Cooder: Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down – review|author=Spencer, Neil|work=The Guardian |date=September 4, 2011|access-date =September 4, 2011}}</ref> new album ''[[Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down]]'', released on August 30, 2011, contains politically charged songs such as "No Banker Left Behind"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15037331|title=Ry Cooder takes on the bankers|author-last=Stanbridge | author-first=Nicola | others=Today (BBC Radio 4) |work=[[BBC Online]]|date= September 24, 2011|access-date=September 25, 2011}}</ref> which was inspired by a [[Robert Scheer]] column.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.marketplace.org/2011/08/29/life/art-money/ry-cooder-protest-songs-today |title=Ry Cooder on the protest songs of today |journal=Marketplace |publisher=American Public Media |date=August 29, 2011 |access-date=May 8, 2018 }}</ref>

In 2011, he published a collection of short stories called ''[[Los Angeles Stories]]'', written about people living in Los Angeles in the 1940s and 1950s. The book's characters are mostly talented or skilled, clever or hardworking people living in humble circumstances.  With story titles such as "La vida es un sueño" and "Kill me, por favor", the collection's stories often have a Hispanic theme, and the book deals partially with Latinos living in Los Angeles during this time.

An ''[[American Songwriter]]'' article in 2012 suggested that Cooder's recent string of solo albums have often taken on an allegorical, sociopolitical bent. Music journalist Evan Schlansky said that "Cooder's latest effort, ''[[Election Special]]'' (released August 21, 2012, on Nonesuch/Perro Verde) doesn't mince words. It's designed to send a message to the 'deacons in the High Church of the Next Dollar'".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americansongwriter.com/2012/06/ry-cooder-breaks-down-the-songs-on-election-special/|title=Ry Cooder Breaks Down The Songs On Election Special|date=June 7, 2012|publisher=[[American Songwriter]]|access-date=June 8, 2012}}</ref> The album was composed in support of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and President [[Barack Obama]] in the 2012 election.

On September 10, 2013, Cooder released ''[[Live in San Francisco (Ry Cooder and Corridos Famosos album)|Live in San Francisco]]'', featuring the Corridos Famosos band, including [[Joachim Cooder]] on drums; [[Robert Francis (musician)|Robert Francis]] on bass; vocalists Terry Evans, [[Arnold McCuller]], and [[Juliette Commagere]]; [[Flaco Jiménez]] on accordion; and the Mexican brass band La Banda Juvenil. The album was recorded during a two-night run at [[Great American Music Hall]] in [[San Francisco]], August 31 and September 1, 2011. It is Cooder's first official live recording since ''Show Time'' in 1977 (which had also been recorded at Great American Music Hall).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/nonesuch-perro-verde-records-release-ry-cooder-corridos-famosos-live-in-san-francisco-september-10-2013-07-23|title=Nonesuch / Perro Verde Records Release Ry Cooder and Corridos Famosos' "Live in San Francisco" September 10|date=July 23, 2013 |publisher=[[Nonesuch Records]]|access-date=August 19, 2013}}</ref>

In 2015, Cooder toured with [[Ricky Skaggs]], Sharon White and other members of [[the Whites]] with their "Music for The Good People" show.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cozy Up To Warm Sounds for Fall with 'Cooder White Skaggs' Tour|url=http://www.rickyskaggs.com/news/09-09-15/cozy-warm-sounds-fall-cooder-white-skaggs-tour/|publisher=Ricky Skaggs website|access-date=September 14, 2015
}}</ref> The tour continued through into 2016.

On May 11, 2018, Cooder released his first solo album in six years entitled ''[[The Prodigal Son (Ry Cooder album)|The Prodigal Son]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ry-cooder-details-new-lp-the-prodigal-son-w517235|title=Ry Cooder Previews New LP 'The Prodigal Son' With 'Shrinking Man' Song|date=March 2018|publisher=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> The subsequent tour featured opening performances by his son, Joachim, who also accompanied Cooder on drums.<ref name="Prodigal Son tour">{{cite web | last=Lewis | first=Randy | title=Review: Ry Cooder preaches his gospel on the Prodigal Son tour stop in Escondido | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2018-08-20 | url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ry-cooder-prodigal-son-tour-review-20180820-story.html | access-date=2023-03-18}}</ref>

In 2019, he toured with [[Rosanne Cash]] on a brief tour as a tribute to Johnny Cash called "Cooder and Cash on Cash".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/rosanne-cash-ry-cooder-johnny-cash-tribute-tour-809387 |title=Rosanne Cash, Ry Cooder Announce New Johnny Cash Tribute Shows|date=March 2018|publisher=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>

===2020s===
On April 22, 2022, Cooder and Taj Mahal released ''Get on Board: The Songs of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee''.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.nonesuch.com/albums/get-board
|title=Get On Board by Taj Mahal + Ry Cooder
|website=nonesuch
|date=April 22, 2022
|publisher=Nonesuch Records
|access-date=August 4, 2022}}</ref>

==Awards==
* 1988 [[Grammy Award]] (Best Recording for Children) – ''Pecos Bill'', producer ([[Rabbit Ears Productions]])
* 1993 Grammy Award ([[Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album|Best World Music Album]]) – ''[[A Meeting by the River]]'' (with [[Vishwa Mohan Bhatt|Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt]])
* 1994 Grammy Award (Best World Music Album) – ''[[Talking Timbuktu]] with [[Ali Farka Toure]]''
* 1997 Grammy Award (Best Tropical Latin Performance) – ''[[Buena Vista Social Club (album)|Buena Vista Social Club]]''
* 2003 Grammy Award (Best Pop Instrumental Album) – ''[[Mambo Sinuendo]]'' with [[Manuel Galbán]]
* 2003 Grammy Award (Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album) – ''Buenos Hermanos'', producer ([[Ibrahim Ferrer]], artist)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=%22Ry+Cooder%22|title=Grammy.com Past Winners Search|website=Grammy.com|access-date=August 20, 2013}}</ref>
* 2000 – [[Honorary doctorate]] from [[Queen's University, Canada]]
* 2001 – Honorary doctorate from the [[California Institute of the Arts]]
* 2017 – [[BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards]] – Lifetime Achievement Award<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/ry-cooder-folk-awards|title = Ry Cooder to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, plus all the performers are announced}}</ref>
* 2018 – [[Montreal International Jazz Festival]] – Spirit Award  <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.montrealjazzfest.com/en-CA/Home/Article/44|title=Festival international de Jazz de Montréal – Ry Cooder is the recipient of the Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award|website=www.montrealjazzfest.com|access-date=July 23, 2018}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Solo albums===
{{div col}}
* ''[[Ry Cooder (album)|Ry Cooder]]'' (December 1970)
* ''[[Into the Purple Valley]]'' (February 1972)
* ''[[Boomer's Story]]'' (November 1972)
* ''[[Paradise and Lunch]]'' (May 1974)
* ''[[Chicken Skin Music]]'' (October 1976)
* ''[[Show Time (Ry Cooder album)|Show Time]]'' (January 1977)
* ''[[Jazz (Ry Cooder album)|Jazz]]'' (June 1978)
* ''[[Bop Till You Drop]]'' (August 1979)
* ''[[Borderline (Ry Cooder album)|Borderline]]'' (October 1980)
* ''[[The Slide Area]]'' (April 1982)
* ''[[Get Rhythm (Ry Cooder album)|Get Rhythm]]'' (November 1987)
* ''[[Chávez Ravine (album)|Chávez Ravine]]'' (May 2005)
* ''[[My Name Is Buddy]]'' (March 2007)
* ''[[I, Flathead]]'' (June 2008)
* ''[[Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down]]'' (August 2011)
* ''[[Election Special]]'' (August 2012)
* ''[[The Prodigal Son (Ry Cooder album)|The Prodigal Son]]'' (May 2018)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ry-cooder-shrinking-man-prodigal-son-20180301-story.html|title=Premiere: Ry Cooder's 'Shrinking Man' from his forthcoming 'The Prodigal Son'|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=March 2018|access-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Compilations===
* ''Why Don't You Try Me Tonight'' (1986)
* ''River Rescue – The Very Best of Ry Cooder'' (1994)
* ''[[Music by Ry Cooder]]'' (1995) (two-disc set of film music)
* ''The Ry Cooder Anthology: The UFO Has Landed'' (October 2008)

===Singles===
* "[[He'll Have to Go]]" / "The Bourgeouis Blues" (1977; Reprise Records)
* "Little Sister" / "Down In Hollywood" (1979; Warner Records)
* "Crazy 'Bout an Automobile (Every Woman I Know)" Recorded live, October 25, 1980, at Victoria Apollo, London / "If Walls Could Talk" Recorded live, February 26, 1981, at Old Waldorf, San Francisco, California / "The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor)" Recorded live, February 26, 1981, at Old Waldorf, San Francisco, California / "Look at Granny Run Run" Recorded live, February 26, 1981, at Old Waldorf, San Francisco, California (1981; Warner Records)
* "Gypsy Woman"/ "Alimony" (1982; Nonesuch Records)
* "Get Rhythm"/ "Get Your Lies Straight" / "Down in Hollywood" (1988)
* "Come Down" / "Get Rhythm" / "Little Sister" (1994)
* "Quicksand" (June 2010)

===Collaborations===
* ''Tanyet'' (1967) (with The Ceyleib People)
*''[[Jamming with Edward!]]'' (''Let It Bleed sessions'', 1969, with [[Nicky Hopkins]], [[Mick Jagger]], [[Bill Wyman]], [[Charlie Watts]]) (1972)
* "GABBY PAHINUI HAWAIIAN BAND vol.1" Gaby Pahinui and Ry Cooder (1975)
* "GABBY PAHINUI HAWAIIAN BAND vol.2" Gaby Pahinui and Ry Cooder (1977)
* ''Ry Cooder and the Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let's Have a Ball'' (1988)
* ''Rising Sons featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder'' with [[Rising Sons]] (recorded 1965/66, released 1992)
* ''[[Little Village (album)|Little Village]]'' (1992)
* ''[[A Meeting by the River]]'' (1993) (with [[Vishwa Mohan Bhatt]])
* ''[[Talking Timbuktu]]'' (1994) (with [[Ali Farka Touré]])
* ''Ry Cooder/Lindley Family: Live At The Vienna Opera House'' (1995) with [[Joachim Cooder]], [[David Lindley (musician)|David Lindley]] and Rosanne Lindley
* ''[[The Long Black Veil (album)|The Long Black Veil]]'' (1995) (with [[the Chieftains]])
* ''[[Buena Vista Social Club (album)|Buena Vista Social Club]]'' (September 1997)
* ''[[Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer]]'' (1999) (with [[Ibrahim Ferrer]])
* ''Hollow Bamboo'' with [[Jon Hassell]] and [[Ronu Majumdar]] ([[bansuri]]) (2000)
* ''[[Mambo Sinuendo]]'' (January 2003) (with [[Manuel Galbán]])
* ''Buenos Hermanos'' (2003) (with Ibrahim Ferrer)
* ''Mi Sueño'' (2007) (with Ibrahim Ferrer, production of 'Melodía del río' only)
* ''[[Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall]]'' (2008) (with [[Buena Vista Social Club]])
* ''[[San Patricio (album)|San Patricio]]'' (March 2010) (with the Chieftains)
* ''[[Live in San Francisco (Ry Cooder and Corridos Famosos album)|Live in San Francisco]]'' (September 2013) (with [[Corridos Famosos]])
* ''[[Lost and Found (Buena Vista Social Club album)|Lost and Found]]'' (March 2015) (with [[Buena Vista Social Club]], production of 'Macusa' and 'Lágrimas Negras' only)
* ''Get On Board'' (May 2022) (with [[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]])

===Soundtracks===
{{div col}}
* ''[[Performance (soundtrack)|Performance]]'' (1970, three of 13 tracks)
* ''[[The Long Riders]]'' (June 1980)
* ''[[Southern Comfort (1981 film)|Southern Comfort]]'' (1981)
* ''[[The Border (1982 film)|The Border]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Streets of Fire (soundtrack)|Streets of Fire]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Paris, Texas (film)|Paris, Texas]]'' (February 1985)
* ''[[Alamo Bay]]'' (August 1985)
* ''[[Blue City (film)|Blue City]]'' (July 1986)
* ''[[Crossroads (1986 soundtrack)|Crossroads]]'' (July 1986)
* ''[[Cocktail (1988 film)|Cocktail]]'' (1988, one track: "[[All Shook Up]]")
* ''[[Johnny Handsome]]'' (October 1989)
* ''[[Trespass (film score)|Trespass]]'' (January 1993)
* ''[[Geronimo: An American Legend]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Last Man Standing (1996 film)|Last Man Standing]]'' (1996)
* ''[[The End of Violence]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Primary Colors (film)|Primary Colors]]'' (1998)
* ''[[My Blueberry Nights]]'' (2007)
{{div col end}}

===As session musician===
{{div col}}
* ''[[Safe as Milk]]'' (1967) with [[Captain Beefheart]]
* ''[[Taj Mahal (album)|Taj Mahal]]'' (1968) with [[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]]
* ''Gentle Soul'' (1968) with The [[Gentle Soul]]
* ''[[Neil Young (album)|Neil Young]]'' (1968) with [[Neil Young]]
* ''[[Head (The Monkees album)|Head]]'' (1968) with [[the Monkees]]
* ''[[Permanent Damage (The GTOs album)|Permanent Damage]]'' (1969) with [[the GTOs]]
* ''[[Hard 'N' Heavy (with Marshmallow)]]'' (1969) [[Paul Revere & the Raiders]] 
* ''Border Town'' (1969) with [[Fusion (band)|Fusion]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Fusion-Border-Town/release/1682022|title=Fusion (19) – Border Town|website=Discogs|year=1969 |access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>
* ''[[Longbranch Pennywhistle (album)|Longbranch Pennywhistle]]'' (1969) with [[Longbranch Pennywhistle]]
* ''[[Let It Bleed]]'' (1969) with [[the Rolling Stones]]
* "[[Something Better (Marianne Faithfull song)|Something Better]] / [[Sister Morphine]]" (1969) with [[Marianne Faithfull]]
* ''[[Running Down the Road]]'' (1969) with [[Arlo Guthrie]]
* ''[[12 Songs (Randy Newman album)|12 Songs]]'' (1970) with [[Randy Newman]]
* ''[[The Candlestickmaker]]'' (1970) with [[Ron Elliott (musician)|Ron Elliott]]
* ''[[Washington County (album)|Washington County]]'' (1970) with Arlo Guthrie
* ''[[Stained Glass Morning]]'' (1970) with [[Scott McKenzie]]
* ''[[Sit Down Young Stranger]]'' (1970) with [[Gordon Lightfoot]]
* ''[[Crazy Horse (album)|Crazy Horse]]'' (1971)
* ''Stories'' (1971) with [[David Blue (musician)|David Blue]]
* ''[[Sticky Fingers]]'' (1971) with [[the Rolling Stones]]
* ''[[Little Feat (album)|Little Feat]]'' (1971) with [[Little Feat]]
* ''[[She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina]]'' (1971) with [[Buffy Sainte-Marie]] 
* ''[[Living (Judy Collins album)|Living]]'' (1971) with [[Judy Collins]]
* ''[[Rita Coolidge (album)|Rita Coolidge]]'' (1971) with [[Rita Coolidge]]
* ''Petaluma'' (1972) with [[Norman Greenbaum]]
* ''Salty'' (1972) with Alex Richman<ref name="Discogs Alex Richman">{{cite web | title=Alex Richman – Salty (1972, Vinyl) | website=Discogs | date=2022-02-01 | url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3413397-Alex-Richman-Salty | language=de | access-date=2023-03-19}}</ref>
* ''[[Sail Away (Randy Newman album)|Sail Away]]'' (1972) with Randy Newman
* ''[[Stories We Could Tell]]'' (1972) with [[the Everly Brothers]]
* ''[[Don Quixote (album)|Don Quixote]]'' (1972) with Gordon Lightfoot
* ''[[Hobo's Lullaby (album)|Hobo's Lullaby]]'' (1972) with Arlo Guthrie
* ''Rod Taylor'' (1973) with [[Roderick Taylor|Rod Taylor]]<ref name="AllMusic Rod Taylor">{{cite web | title=Rod Taylor – Rod Taylor – Credits | website=AllMusic | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rod-taylor-mw0000853070/credits | access-date=2023-03-19}}</ref>
* ''[[Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys]]'' (1973) with Arlo Guthrie
* ''The Second Annual Farewell Reunion'' (1973) with Mike Seeger
* ''[[Maria Muldaur (album)|Maria Muldaur]]'' (1973) with [[Maria Muldaur]]
* ''[[Good Old Boys (Randy Newman album)|Good Old Boys]]'' (1974) with Randy Newman
* ''[[Arlo Guthrie (album)|Arlo Guthrie]]'' (1974) with Arlo Guthrie
* ''[[Stampede (The Doobie Brothers album)|Stampede]]'' (1975) with the [[Doobie Brothers]]
* ''[[Little Criminals]]'' (1977) with Randy Newman
* ''[[Blue Collar (film)|Blue Collar]]'' (1978) (soundtrack)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-collar-mw0000604796/credits | title=Original Soundtrack: Blue Collar credits | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=October 16, 2018}}</ref>
* ''[[Into the Music]]'' (1979) with [[Van Morrison]]
* ''[[No Nukes: The Muse Concerts for a Non-Nuclear Future]]'' (1979)
* ''[[Money and Cigarettes]]'' (1983) with [[Eric Clapton]]
* ''Midnight Mission'' (1984) [[Carla Olson]] and the Textones
* ''[[Bring the Family]]'' (1987) with [[John Hiatt]]
* ''[[Trio (Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris album)|Trio]]'' (1987) with [[Dolly Parton]], [[Linda Ronstadt]] and [[Emmylou Harris]]
* ''Live and Let Live'' (1988) with [[Bobby King]] and [[Terry Evans (musician)|Terry Evans]]
* ''[[Party of One]]'' (1990) [[Nick Lowe]]
* ''[[Mr. Lucky (John Lee Hooker album)|Mr. Lucky]]'' (1991) with [[John Lee Hooker]]
* ''[[Warm Your Heart]]'' (1991) [[Aaron Neville]]
* ''Peace to the Neighborhood'' (1992) [[Pops Staples]]
* ''Father Father'' (1994) Pops Staples
* ''King Cake Party'' (1994) with the Zydeco Party Band
* ''[[The Tractors (album)|The Tractors]]'' (1994) with [[the Tractors]]
* ''[[A Toda Cuba le Gusta]]'' (1997) with the [[Afro-Cuban All Stars]] 
* ''[[Good Dog, Happy Man]]'' (1999) with [[Bill Frisell]]
* ''Sublime Ilusión'' (1999) with [[Eliades Ochoa]]
* ''[[Chanchullo (album)|Chanchullo]]'' (2000) with [[Rubén González (pianist)|Rubén González]]
* ''[[October Road (album)|October Road]]'' (2002) with [[James Taylor]]
* ''[[The Wind (Warren Zevon album)|The Wind]]'' (2003) with [[Warren Zevon]]
* ''[[Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon]]'' (2004)
*''Delta Time'' (2012) with [[Hans Theessink]] and [[Terry Evans (musician)|Terry Evans]]
*''Fuchsia Machu Picchu'' (2018) with [[Joachim Cooder]]
{{div col end}}

==Films==
* ''Ry Cooder and the Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California; March 25, 1987'' (1987), Director: [[Les Blank]], Producer: Ry Cooder, Flower Films and Warner Brothers. Records.

==Written works==
* ''[[Los Angeles Stories]]'', [[City Lights Bookstore|City Lights Publishers]] (2011)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100553260&fa=author&person_id=14660#content|title=Los Angeles Stories (Ry Cooder)|website=Citylights.com|access-date=January 7, 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://rycooder.com}}
* [http://www.nonesuch.com/artists/ry-cooder Ry Cooder (Nonesuch Records)]
* [http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100553260 ''Los Angeles Stories'' Book Description]
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/55080 Ry Cooder] at discogs.com
* [https://www.45cat.com/artist/ry-cooder Ry Cooder] at 45cat.com

{{S-start}}
{{S-ach|aw}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Kenny Vaughan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Americana Music Association|AMA Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist]]|years=2007}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Larry Campbell (musician)|Larry Campbell]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Ry Cooder}}
{{Georges Delerue Award}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Children's Album}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooder, Ry}}
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