“Amarillo by Morning” began with Amarillo native Terry Stafford in 1973, but it really spread its wings when rodeo cowboy-singer Chris LeDoux picked it up live, giving it dust, sweat, and arena grit. George Strait’s 1982 recording turned it into the definitive version — fiddle-led, clean, and quietly haunting — a rodeo anthem about long miles, busted bones, and the pull of sunrise over the Panhandle. Between Stafford’s pen, LeDoux’s saddle-scuffed delivery, and Strait’s polished hit, it became o

ORIGINAL VERSION: “Amarillo by Morning” was written in 1972 by Terry Stafford and Paul Fraser. Stafford got the idea while driving from a San Antonio rodeo to Amarillo at dawn. The song captures the struggles and freedom of a rodeo cowboy’s life. #countrymusic #purecountry #amarillo #rodeo #cowboy #fblifestyle | Orlando D. Aton Jr.