How did George Strait and Roy Cooper meet? Friendship explored as country star mourns sudden loss of Rodeo legend

Country singer George Strait is mourning the passing of his friend and rodeo legend, Roy Cooper, who died on Tuesday in a fire at his house in Decatur, the PRCA has confirmed, according to iHeart. The Cooper and Strait shared a decades-long friendship, having met at the 1983 State Fair in Oklahoma City.

Roy Cooper, who was popularly known as Super Looper because of his calf-roping skills, was 69 years old at his death, the website added. The exact details on how the fire started have not yet been revealed, and an investigation is currently underway. George Strait released a statement on social media saying that Cooper was "his hero." Apart from George, Cooper's son, Tuff Cooper, who is also a rodeo champion, released a statement on Facebook, saying:

"It is with great sadness that our family shares the passing of our dad, The Super Looper, Roy Cooper. We’re all in shock and at a l oss for words from this tragedy at the moment.”

More about George Strait and Roy Cooper's friendship as singer pays tribute to his friend

The news of Roy Cooper's death has shocked fans and close ones alike, with Gerorge Strait paying tribute to his friend of over 40 years. In an X post, he said:

"We lost our good friend and my hero Roy Cooper yesterday. He’s with our Lord And Savior Jesus Christ now. God please be with the Cooper family and friends. We’ll miss you amigo. I’ll come find you one day. — gs

George Strait and Roy Cooper have in the past talked about how their friendship that spanned 42 years. Copper, during an appearance on the Let's Freakin Rodeo podcast produced by Teton Ridge, had spoken about the experience of meeting the Fool Hearted Memory singer for the first time. He said:

"You know what I met George in 1983, at Oklahoma City at the State Fair. I was coming out the back, a man said 'George Strait would like to meet you, would you like to meet him?' and I said I'd love to. And so I still got my piggin string around my neck, around my deal, so I hand my horse to somebody. There's people all around the bus, I go in the bus and George is sitting in the bus, waiting to play. And we connected that night."

He continued :

"From then on, he came back to the finals in '84, he played at the Old Wills Rogers Colosseum. He gets to playing and we later go over to the cowboy club. Just me and him and his band, eight oror ten of us. We sit through till daylight. Then he gets a bus and I got a room, and we drive all the way till Mexico the next day. "

Later, during his conversation with hosts, Cole Harris and Ty Harris, earlier this year in February, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame legend, added some of the unknown career highlights of George Strait, before sharing more details about their friendship. He said:

"I spent eleven New Year's Eve with him, exactly eleven. He played in Dallas, we went there ten years in a row. We had fun. After the show I'd fly down to his ranch, after Christmas and he had played in New Year's Eve and there we are down with him in a row for two or three days. We'd ride with him on the bus and then he pick me up. He took me to the Kentucky Derby, I mean he has done so much for me."

The eight time rodeo champion also said that the privilege of his strong friendship with George Strait allowed him to see the greatest musicians perform live.

"George is one of the best friends I ever had. You know, you see all of these guys, I mean they are human, they are all playing, Kenny Rogers playing over at Jackson, Mississippi, walking around. You get see them all."

During a 1993 interview with The Oklahoman, Roy Cooper gave his insight on how country music and rodeo went hand in hand, citing the example of his and George Strait's friendship, before adding that he had visited the Unwound singer at his ranch to practice for his upcoming tournaments. He said:

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"He's my favorite of all favorites. If I had one person to circle the wagons with, that's who it would be. I enjoy being around him, and I like getting to rope."

Back in 2003, during George Strait's induction into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, it was Roy Cooper who had introduced him. Roy Cooper, who comes from a long line of rodeo family members, is survived by his wife, Shari Smith Cooper and his three children.

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