Roping Cowboy at the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Sports Program in Las Cruces, New Mexico; photo by U.S. Army on Flickr (use permitted with attribution).
Official State Cowboy Song of New Mexico
New Mexico designated "Under the New Mexico Skies," composed by Syd Masters of Edgewood, New Mexico as the official state cowboy song in 2009. This song was selected at a song-writing competition sponsored by the New Mexico Music Commission at the Western Music Association Music Festival in Albuquerque in November 2007.
New Mexico also recognizes a state song, state ballad, bilingual song, and an official Spanish song. All State Songs
Lyrics
Where the Piñon Mesa rolls
And the campfire cures your woes
Watchin' the sly roadrunner flee
On the tail of an autumn breeze
I'm leanin' against a juniper bole
As the creek water takes a stroll
CHORUS
That's where you'll find me
Where the big back country lies
There the cowboy's free to ride
Out under New Mexico skies
VERSE 2
Where the lean jack hops along
And the coyote sings his song
Up high the rocky spires shade
The sunny desert days
I'm leanin' against adobe walls of old
Their stories to be told
VERSE 3
Just me and a covey of gamblin' quail
Lopin' down the Turquoise Trail