The stage is set tonight down in Nashville
It's been a long, hard ride into town
And thanks to some cowboys and heroes
My chance to sing has finally come around

The first song I ever sang was Haggard's
Momma sang to me, "I Saw the Light"
And I'd turn my radio up louder
To hear Johnny Cash walk the line

Ol' Waylon sang the songs about Texas
Willie's blue eyes, cryin' in the rain
Bocephus sang the songs about Dixie
And Lefty taught us, all how to sing

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys
Riding somewhere tonight
Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys
Wanted, dead or alive

Well, Charlie ran the Devil out of Georgia
Skynyrd sang of sweet home Alabam'
The Allman Brothers taught us how to ramble
And the Tucker boys showed us how to jam

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys
Riding somewhere tonight
Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys
Wanted, dead or alive

Well, the stage is set tonight up in Heaven
And Reba's band is there with Patsy Cline
And all around there's cowboys and cowgirls
And thanks to them, the music's still alive

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys
Riding somewhere tonight
Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys
Wanted, dead or alive

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys
Flyin' somewhere tonight
Hats off to hard flyin' cowboys
Wanted, dead or alive