Ry Cooder

producer, guitar, vocal, electric guitar, mandolin, slide guitar, arranger, tiple, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, mandola, bass, guitars, performer, mbira, Hawaiian guitar, piano, accordion, keyboard, electric piano, bowed piano, cittern, percussion, cümbüş, tambura, instrument arranger, banjo, lute, oud, marimba, octave mandolin, steel guitar

Sample recordings

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Top collaborators

Artist name Roles Recordings
Jim Keltner bowed piano, drums Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, Billy and Annie, Blue City, Blue City Down, Cardboard Avenue, Crossroads, Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Dont Take Your Guns to Town, Down in Hollywood, Down in Mississippi, Elevation 13 ft., Farm Girl, Go Home Girl, Greenhouse, He Made a Woman Out of Me, He'll Have to Go, I Can't Win, I Got Mine, I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine, Little Sister, Look at Granny Run, Run, Nice Bike, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Not Even Key West, Pink-O Boogie, Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick), Ridin' With the Blues, Smack Dab in the Middle, Sundown Town, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor), There's a Bright Side Somewhere, Three Chords and the Truth, Trouble, You Can't Fool Me, Viola Lee Blues
Lee Herschberg mix, recording 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.), Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Borderline, Chloe, Crazy ’bout an Automobile (Every Woman I Know), Davenport Blues, Down in the Boondocks, Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Flashes, Goodnight Irene, Happy Meeting in Glory, He'll Have to Go, I Got Mine, In a Mist, Johnny Porter, Never Make Your Move Too Soon, Nobody, Shine, Smack Dab in the Middle, Speedo, Stand by Me, The Bourgeois Blues, The Dream, The Girls From Texas, The Pearls / Tia Juana, The Way We Make a Broken Heart, We Shall Be Happy, Why Don’t You Try Me, Yellow Roses
Ibrahim Ferrer
Martin Pradler mix, recording, drums, electric piano 5000 Country Music Songs, Brother is Gone, Can I Smoke in Here?, Cold Cold Feelings, Drive Like I Never Been Hurt, Fernando Sez, Filipino Dancehall Girl, Flathead One More Time, Going to Tampa, Guantanamo, Johnny Cash, Kool-Aid, Little Trona Girl, Mutt Romney Blues, My Dwarf Is Getting Tired, Pink-O Boogie, Ridin' With the Blues, Spayed Kooley, Steel Guitar Heaven, Take Your Hands Off It, The 90 and the 9, The Wall Street Part of Town, Waitin' for Some Girl
Jim Dickinson producer, vocal, bowed piano, guitar, keyboard, organ, piano Billy the Kid, Cotton Needs Pickin', Crossroads, Denomination Blues, Dont Take Your Guns to Town, Down in Mississippi, Elevation 13 ft., FDR in Trinidad, Feelin' Bad Blues, Great Dream from Heaven, Greenhouse, He Made a Woman Out of Me, Hey Porter, How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too), Money Honey, Nice Bike, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, On a Monday, Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All, Teardrops Will Fall, Vigilante Man, Viola Lee Blues, Willie Brown Blues

Collaborators on this artist's recordings

Artist name Roles Recordings
Jim Keltner bowed piano, drums Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, Billy and Annie, Blue City, Blue City Down, Cardboard Avenue, Crossroads, Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Dont Take Your Guns to Town, Down in Hollywood, Down in Mississippi, Elevation 13 ft., Farm Girl, Go Home Girl, Greenhouse, He Made a Woman Out of Me, He'll Have to Go, I Can't Win, I Got Mine, I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine, Little Sister, Look at Granny Run, Run, Nice Bike, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Not Even Key West, Pink-O Boogie, Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick), Ridin' With the Blues, Smack Dab in the Middle, Sundown Town, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor), There's a Bright Side Somewhere, Three Chords and the Truth, Trouble, You Can't Fool Me, Viola Lee Blues
Lee Herschberg mix, recording 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.), Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Borderline, Chloe, Crazy ’bout an Automobile (Every Woman I Know), Davenport Blues, Down in the Boondocks, Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Flashes, Goodnight Irene, Happy Meeting in Glory, He'll Have to Go, I Got Mine, In a Mist, Johnny Porter, Never Make Your Move Too Soon, Nobody, Shine, Smack Dab in the Middle, Speedo, Stand by Me, The Bourgeois Blues, The Dream, The Girls From Texas, The Pearls / Tia Juana, The Way We Make a Broken Heart, We Shall Be Happy, Why Don’t You Try Me, Yellow Roses
Martin Pradler mix, recording, drums, electric piano 5000 Country Music Songs, Brother is Gone, Can I Smoke in Here?, Cold Cold Feelings, Drive Like I Never Been Hurt, Fernando Sez, Filipino Dancehall Girl, Flathead One More Time, Going to Tampa, Guantanamo, Johnny Cash, Kool-Aid, Little Trona Girl, Mutt Romney Blues, My Dwarf Is Getting Tired, Pink-O Boogie, Ridin' With the Blues, Spayed Kooley, Steel Guitar Heaven, Take Your Hands Off It, The 90 and the 9, The Wall Street Part of Town, Waitin' for Some Girl
Jim Dickinson producer, vocal, bowed piano, guitar, keyboard, organ, piano Billy the Kid, Cotton Needs Pickin', Crossroads, Denomination Blues, Dont Take Your Guns to Town, Down in Mississippi, Elevation 13 ft., FDR in Trinidad, Feelin' Bad Blues, Great Dream from Heaven, Greenhouse, He Made a Woman Out of Me, Hey Porter, How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too), Money Honey, Nice Bike, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, On a Monday, Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All, Teardrops Will Fall, Vigilante Man, Viola Lee Blues, Willie Brown Blues
Mark Ettel recording, remixer A Leader of Men, Billy and Annie, Blue City, Blue City Down, Cotton Needs Pickin', Crossroads, Dont Take Your Guns to Town, Down in Mississippi, Elevation 13 ft., Feelin' Bad Blues, Greenhouse, He Made a Woman Out of Me, Nice Bike, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Not Even Key West, See You in Hell, Blind Boy, Somebody's Callin' My Name, Viola Lee Blues, Walkin' Away Blues, Willie Brown Blues
Joachim Cooder drums, keyboard, percussion, timbales 5000 Country Music Songs, Cardboard Avenue, Christmas in Southgate, Drive Like I Never Been Hurt, Fernando Sez, Filipino Dancehall Girl, Flathead One More Time, Footprints in the Snow, Green Dog, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Little Trona Girl, My Dwarf Is Getting Tired, My Name Is Buddy, One Cat, One Vote, One Beer, Pink-O Boogie, Spayed Kooley, Steel Guitar Heaven, Strike!, Suitcase in My Hand
Bobby King vocal Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, Blue City Down, Crossroads, Down in Hollywood, Down in Mississippi, Go Home Girl, He'll Have to Go, I Can't Win, Little Sister, Look at Granny Run, Run, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick), Smack Dab in the Middle, Somebody's Callin' My Name, Stand by Me, Sundown Town, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor), Trouble, You Can't Fool Me
Don Smith (producer, engineer and mixer) mix, recording Cardboard Avenue, Cat and Mouse, Christmas in Southgate, Farm Girl, Footprints in the Snow, Green Dog, Hank Williams, J. Edgar, My Name Is Buddy, One Cat, One Vote, One Beer, Red Cat Till I Die, Strike!, Suitcase in My Hand, Sundown Town, The Dying Truck Driver, There's a Bright Side Somewhere, Three Chords and the Truth
Aisha Ayers producer Cardboard Avenue, Cat and Mouse, Christmas in Southgate, Farm Girl, Footprints in the Snow, Green Dog, Hank Williams, J. Edgar, My Name Is Buddy, One Cat, One Vote, One Beer, Red Cat Till I Die, Strike!, Suitcase in My Hand, Sundown Town, The Dying Truck Driver, There's a Bright Side Somewhere, Three Chords and the Truth
Terry Evans vocal Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, Blue City Down, Crossroads, Down in Mississippi, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick), Smack Dab in the Middle, Stand by Me, Sundown Town
Milt Holland drums, percussion Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, Chloe, Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Down in Hollywood, Go Home Girl, He'll Have to Go, I Got Mine, I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine, Smack Dab in the Middle, Stand by Me, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor), Trouble, You Can't Fool Me, Yellow Roses
Joseph Byrd (arranger) conductor Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Davenport Blues, Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Flashes, Happy Meeting in Glory, In a Mist, Nobody, Shine, The Dream, The Pearls / Tia Juana, We Shall Be Happy
Rene Camacho bass 5000 Country Music Songs, Christmas in Southgate, Fernando Sez, Filipino Dancehall Girl, Footprints in the Snow, Johnny Cash, My Dwarf Is Getting Tired, Pink-O Boogie, Ridin' With the Blues, Spayed Kooley, Steel Guitar Heaven
David Lindley guitar, mandolin Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Down in Hollywood, Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Go Home Girl, Happy Meeting in Glory, I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine, Little Sister, Look at Granny Run, Run, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor), Trouble, You Can't Fool Me, We Shall Be Happy
Lenny Waronker producer Billy the Kid, Denomination Blues, FDR in Trinidad, Great Dream from Heaven, Hey Porter, How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too), Money Honey, On a Monday, Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All, Teardrops Will Fall, Vigilante Man
Flaco Jiménez accordion Christmas in Southgate, Filipino Dancehall Girl, Footprints in the Snow, Goodnight Irene, He'll Have to Go, Stand by Me, There's a Bright Side Somewhere
Joseph Byrd (arranger, writer, conductor) arranger, producer Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Davenport Blues, Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Flashes, Happy Meeting in Glory, In a Mist, Nobody, Shine, The Dream, The Pearls / Tia Juana, We Shall Be Happy
Tim Drummond bass Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Down in Hollywood, Go Home Girl, I Can't Win, I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine, Little Sister, Look at Granny Run, Run, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor), Trouble, You Can't Fool Me
Mike Seeger banjo, fiddle, harmonica, jew's harp Cardboard Avenue, Christmas in Southgate, Farm Girl, J. Edgar, Strike!, Suitcase in My Hand, The Dying Truck Driver, There's a Bright Side Somewhere
Nathan East bass Blue City Down, Crossroads, Elevation 13 ft., He Made a Woman Out of Me, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick), Willie Brown Blues
Miguel Cruz percussion A Leader of Men, Dont Take Your Guns to Town, Down in Mississippi, Elevation 13 ft., Greenhouse, Nice Bike, Not Even Key West
Jorge Calderón bass, bowed piano A Leader of Men, Dont Take Your Guns to Town, Down in Mississippi, Greenhouse, Nice Bike, Not Even Key West, Viola Lee Blues
Roland White vocal, mandolin Cardboard Avenue, Christmas in Southgate, Farm Girl, Footprints in the Snow, Suitcase in My Hand, The Dying Truck Driver
Red Callender double bass, tuba Chloe, Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Happy Meeting in Glory, He'll Have to Go, We Shall Be Happy, Yellow Roses
Mark Stevens (Drummer) drums Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Happy Meeting in Glory, Shine, The Dream, We Shall Be Happy
George Bohanon instrument arranger, baritone horn, horn, trombone Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Happy Meeting in Glory, I Got Mine, Viola Lee Blues, We Shall Be Happy
Van Dyke Parks piano Cat and Mouse, Christmas in Southgate, Footprints in the Snow, See You in Hell, Blind Boy, There's a Bright Side Somewhere
Kirby Johnson conductor, instrument arranger A Leader of Men, Billy and Annie, Nice Bike, See You in Hell, Blind Boy
Willie Greene, Jr. vocal Crossroads, Down in Mississippi, Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Somebody's Callin' My Name
Harvey Pittel alto saxophone, clarinet Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Davenport Blues, In a Mist, Shine
Herman Johnson vocal Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, I Can't Win, Little Sister, Stand by Me
Jesús Guzmán arranger, instrument arranger Drive Like I Never Been Hurt, Filipino Dancehall Girl, Pink-O Boogie, Spayed Kooley
Oscar Brashear cornet Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Happy Meeting in Glory, I Got Mine, We Shall Be Happy
Cliff Givens vocal Nobody, Shine, Smack Dab in the Middle, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor)
Jimmy Adams vocal Nobody, Shine, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor), Trouble, You Can't Fool Me
Chris Ethridge bass Always Lift Him Up: Kanaka Wai Wai, I Got Mine, Smack Dab in the Middle, Stand by Me
Mike Elizondo bass Cardboard Avenue, Farm Girl, Hank Williams, There's a Bright Side Somewhere
Tom Collier marimba, vibraphone Davenport Blues, In a Mist, Shine, The Dream
Bill Johnson (Soul/R&B singer) arranger, vocal Nobody, Shine, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor)
David Sherr bass clarinet, clarinet Davenport Blues, In a Mist, Shine
Barbara Starkey organ Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Happy Meeting in Glory, We Shall Be Happy
Buell Neidlinger bass guitar Across the Borderline, All Shook Up, Low-Commotion
Juliette Commagère vocal Farm Girl, Green Dog, Little Trona Girl
David Paich synthesizer Billy and Annie, Blue City, Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick)
Ronnie Barron guitar, organ Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Down in Hollywood, I Can't Win
Simon Pico Payne vocal Nobody, Shine, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor)
Steve Porcaro synthesizer Billy and Annie, Blue City, Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick)
Stuart Brotman cymbalum Face to Face That I Shall Meet Him, Happy Meeting in Glory, We Shall Be Happy
Benmont Tench organ Elevation 13 ft., Not Even Key West
Leland "Atta" Isaacs Hawaiian guitar, acoustic guitar Chloe, Yellow Roses
Paddy Moloney tin whistle, uilleann pipes Suitcase in My Hand, There's a Bright Side Somewhere
Frank Frost vocal, harmonica Cotton Needs Pickin', Willie Brown Blues
Robert Greenidge (steel drummer) steelpan A Leader of Men, Elevation 13 ft.
Arnold McCuller vocal Somebody's Callin' My Name, Take Your Hands Off It
Gabby Pahinui vocal, steel guitar Chloe, Yellow Roses
Sonny Terry harmonica Crossroads, Walkin' Away Blues
John Rodby piano Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Shine
Jon Hassell trumpet Flathead One More Time, One Cat, One Vote, One Beer
Chaka Khan vocal Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Down in Hollywood
Tom Pedrini bass Davenport Blues, In a Mist
Isaac Garcia drums Goodnight Irene
Jacky Terrasson piano Green Dog
Jared Smith (keyboardist/engineer) keyboard Flathead One More Time
Amy Madigan vocal He Made a Woman Out of Me
Anthony Gil bass saxophone Fernando Sez
Joe Seneca vocal Willie Brown Blues
Benny Powell trombone I Got Mine
John “Juke” Logan harmonica Willie Brown Blues
Bill Cuomo synthesizer Elevation 13 ft.
Bill Hood bass saxophone Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
Buddy Red Cat vocal, guitar Red Cat Till I Die
Larry Blackmon vocal All Shook Up
Lefty Mouse fiddle Red Cat Till I Die
Chuck Domanico bass The Dream
Mario Guarneri cornet Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
Michelle Manning bowed piano Greenhouse
Earl Hines piano The Dream
Fernando Ruleas vocal Fernando Sez
Francisco Torres trombone Fernando Sez
Otis Taylor instrument Cotton Needs Pickin'
Frank Villarreal alto saxophone Goodnight Irene
Pat Rizzo alto saxophone Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
Patrick Henderson organ Go Home Girl
Pete Seeger banjo J. Edgar
Randy Aldcroft (trombonist) trombone Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
Randy Lorenzo vocal Go Home Girl
Fred Jackson Jr. tenor saxophone I Got Mine
Richard "Shubby" Holmes bass Cotton Needs Pickin'
Gayle Levant harp A Leader of Men
Ron Blake (trumpet) trumpet Fernando Sez
George McFadden vocal Trouble, You Can't Fool Me
Russ Titelman bass guitar Stand by Me
Gil Bernal tenor saxophone Flathead One More Time
Greg Ladanyi remixer Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick)
Stefan Harris marimba, vibraphone Green Dog
Harry Dean Stanton vocal Across the Borderline
The Reverend Tom Toad tambourine Red Cat Till I Die
Henry "Big Red" Ojeda bass Goodnight Irene
Alan Pasqua synthesizer See You in Hell, Blind Boy
Hugo Gonzales bass guitar Goodnight Irene
Walt Sereth soprano saxophone Viola Lee Blues
Wilbur Schwartz clarinet Shine
William D. "Smitty" Smith (organist/keyboardist) organ He Made a Woman Out of Me
Greg Prestopino vocal The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor)

Work on other artists' recordings

Artist name Roles Recordings
Ibrahim Ferrer producer, acoustic guitar, electric guitar Aquellos ojos verdes, Boliviana, Boquiñeñe, Bruca Maniguá, Buenos hermanos, Cienfuegos tiene su guaguancó, Como el arrullo de palma, Como fue, Fuiste cruel, Guaguancó Callejero, Guateque campesino, Hay que entrarle a palos a ése, Herido de sombras, La música cubana, Mamí me gustó, Marieta, Mil congojas, Naufragio, No tiene telaraña, Nuestra ultima cita, Oye el consejo, Perfume de gardenias, Qué bueno baila usted, Silencio
Terry Evans guitar Blues No More, Down in Mississippi, In this Day and Time, Money in Your Pocket, Nasty Doll, Rooftop Tomcat, Too Many Ups and Downs, Walking in the Same Tracks
Buena Vista Social Club acoustic guitar, guitar, guitars, mbira, oud, percussion, slide guitar Amor de loca juventud, Buena Vista Social Club, Candela, Chan Chan, De camino a la vereda, Dos gardenias, El carretero, El cuarto de Tula, Murmullo, Orgullecida, Pueblo Nuevo, Veinte años, ¿Y tú qué has hecho?
Daniel Henestrosa producer Bodas de oro, Bolero sonámbulo, Caballo viejo, Drume negrita, La luna en tu mirada, Los twangueros, Mambo sinuendo, María la o, Monte adentro, Patricia, Secret Love, Échale salsita
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band arranger, bass guitar, guitar Abba Zaba, Autumn's Child, Call on Me, Dropout Boogie, Electricity, Grown So Ugly, I'm Glad, Plastic Factory, Sure 'Nuff 'n Yes I Do, Where There's Woman, Yellow Brick Road, Zig Zag Wanderer
Flaco Jiménez producer, slide guitar La tumba será el final, Poquita fe, The Free Mexican Air Force, Un mojado sin licensia
The Rolling Stones guitar, guitars, mandolin Downtown Suzie, Love in Vain, Sister Morphine
Neil Young arranger, producer I’ve Loved Her So Long, String Quartet From Whiskey Boot Hill, The Old Laughing Lady
Crazy Horse slide guitar Crow Jane Lady, Dirty, Dirty, I Don't Want to Talk About It
Gordon Lightfoot mandolin, slide guitar Alberta Bound, Cobwebs & Dust, Me and Bobby McGee
Little Feat slide guitar Forty Four Blues / How Many More Years, Willin’
John Braden acoustic guitar Carriage House Song, What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Fatal Frame performer Coast of Malabar, Dunmore Lassies
Cary Mourin mandolin, slide guitar Dockside Boogie, I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)
Carlos Núñez arranger, producer, acoustic guitar, cittern, electric guitar, mandola Negra Sombra, Nubes del otro lado
Warren Zevon guitar, slide guitar Dirty Life and Times, Prison Grove
Maria Muldaur acoustic guitar Any Old Time
Joe Blessett guitar To Know Him Is to Love Him
Once performer The Girls From Texas
Peter Case electric guitar Entella Hotel
R. D. Murray guitar Canción mixteca (intro)
Rachel House producer Marianne
Stig Dagerman electric guitar, mandola, steel guitar The Foggy Dew
Taj Mahal guitar, mandolin Celebrated Walkin' Blues
Aaron Neville guitars Danny Boy
The Beach Boys slide guitar Kokomo
The Chieftains mandola Santiago de Cuba
The Doobie Brothers guitar Rainy Day Crossroad Blues
John Winfield performer This Is Hip
Van Morrison slide guitar Full Force Gale
Johnny Cash producer, vocal, electric guitar In Our Mind
나비맛 guitar La comparsa
Bill Frisell guitar Shenandoah (For Johnny Smith)
James Taylor guitar October Road