From Texas Ranch Hand to Rising Star

Garrett Bradford’s songs aren't inspired by the cowboy way of life; they’re born out of it. Raised in Weatherford, Texas, a town steeped in ranch and rodeo tradition, Bradford grew up around livestock, horse sales, and hard-working ranch families. His father, a fourth-generation Texan, facilitated some of the largest horse sales in the country, and his mother, a horse trainer and Montana native, moved to Texas and eventually met his father. 

Garrett’s formative years were spent on horseback. Rodeos, bucking broncos, hunting, and fishing were part of everyday life, and remain the traditions that shape his songs today. 

Like many country artists, Bradford’s musical path began in the church choir. But everything changed when his uncle handed him a guitar. “It was so cool,” he says. “I thought, If I'm gonna sing, I need to learn how to play an instrument.” 

His uncle taught him a few Hank Williams songs, but soon Bradford outgrew the lessons. Seeing his interest, Bradford’s dad took him to the local pawn shop and bought him his first guitar. “I still have it,” Bradford says. “It's the worst-playing guitar I’ve ever heard.” He was 11 years old, and he wrote two songs that day. 

“I didn't think about songwriting as a career, because I didn't know anybody that was a musician,” he says. That changed when he met seasoned songwriter Dan Roberts, the father of one of his friends. “That’s when I realized it was something you could actually do. I love writing songs.”

He began playing venues across Texas, steadily gaining a following with the people and in places he knew best. Just as his career was gaining momentum, in 2014, tragedy struck when Bradford was involved in an accident that claimed the life of his best friend. Grief brought his music to a halt, and he focused on his main business—removing trees and clearing land. 

Years later, he crossed paths with filmmaker Taylor Sheridan, creator of Landman and Yellowstone, who hired him to work on his ranch. “I had no clue who he was, but we hit it off,” says Bradford. “He just kept inviting me up to his house for dinner, and we became friends.”

Sheridan encouraged Bradford to learn to record his own music, a skill that ended up being invaluable. “The song on Yellowstone wouldn't have happened if I couldn't record myself, because it was a really short-notice opportunity, and I had no time to get to a music studio,” he says.

When “This Way of Life" aired on the show on August 16, 2020, listeners rushed to identify it.  The next day, the song became the most Shazammed country song in the United States and eventually reached No. 32 on the iTunes Country chart. 

In 2025, Bradford released a two-part album, “Honkiest of Tonkers,” a compilation that expands on the heartfelt themes he writes about. Tracks like "Keep On Drivin'" and "Peterbilt Pipe Dream" celebrate the gritty nature of trucking and the blue-collar lifestyle. 

Bradford says “Bulletproof” is especially meaningful, since he relied on three co-writers to help him tell the story of his father’s battle with cancer. “It’s such a personal song, you would think I would have written it by myself, but somehow, they were able to pull it out of me,” he says. Recently, he released “Blacktop Bender,” inspired by his decision to leave Texas for Nashville to pursue music full time. 

Looking back on the success of “This Way of Life,” Bradford still marvels that his biggest song was recorded in a barn. “I’m excited about the break,” he says. “But I think I need to just keep doing what got me here.”

Learn  more at garrettbradford.com.