Ry Cooder

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Ry Cooder (born Ryland Peter Cooder, March 15, 1947) began his career in 1963 in a blues band with Jackie DeShannon and then formed the Rising Sons in 1965 with Taj Mahal. He made his debut as a solo artist in 1970 with a self-titled album featuring songs by Leadbelly, Blind Willie Johnson, Sleepy John Estes, and Woody Guthrie. Cooder played next in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, and has also accompanied such artists as Gordon Lightfoot, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Randy Newman, John Lee Hooker and many others.
Although influenced early on by blues, he became a pioneer in resurrecting the traditions of "World Music," a concept that was entirely new at the time. He devoted himself to Country and Folk music, Calypso, Hawaiian music, Gospel, Salsa, Jazz, Ragtime.
In 1997, Cooder traveled to Cuba. The resulting album, Buena Vista Social Club recorded with local musicians was a platinum-selling international success and earned Cooder Grammy award.

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