Catie Offerman’s ‘OK Cowboy’ is Based on an Inside Joke [Listen]
Traditionally, it's the cowboy who rides off into the sunset at the end of the song, leaving the woman who loves him heartbroken, but the roles reverse in Catie Offerman's just-released "OK Cowboy."
Mid-tempo and forlorn with a heavy dose of strings, this new track is all classic country -- but its inspiration is a little more light-hearted, Offerman explained to Taste of Country and other outlets while walking a red carpet event at the Country Cares for St. Jdue Kids weekend at Memphis, Tenn.'s St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
"It's a funny little thing. One of my best friends, he's a songwriter. He and I would always say 'Okay cowboy' to each other in a squeaky little voice," she says. "One day, I was in a write with other songwriters, and I was like, I have this idea and it's called 'OK Cowboy.'
"So now I give [my friend] a hard time -- I'm like, 'I promise if I ever make money with that song, I'm gonna give you some money,'" Offerman jokes.
All inside jokes aside, "OK Cowboy" highlights Offerman's traditionalist side, creating a sonic vibe that'll pair well with her upcoming tour schedule. She's booked to open several dates for Parker McCollum this winter, plus two dates in November as a supporting act for George Strait. "OK Cowboy" embraces classic country while still making it Offerman's own, marking the song with a dose of gender script-flipping humor.
"I think the funny edge to this song is -- everybody always thinks that the guys leave," she reflects. "But sometimes cowgirls venture out, too. It's kinda [about] leaving with a smile on your face."
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
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