Country artist and former professional cowboy Ross Cooper is premiering his song "Old Crow Whiskey and a Cornbread Moon" exclusively for readers of The Boot. Press play below to listen.

"Old Crow Whiskey and a Cornbread Moon" is a smooth, classic country ballad that explores blue-collar America and gratitude. "In short, "Old Crow Whiskey and a Cornbread Moon" is about being appreciative for what you have," Cooper tells The Boot. "About being thankful even when things may not be going your way. Celebrating what you do have instead of worrying about what you don't, and realizing that it doesn't take much to be happy."

When asked about his influences for this new tune, Cooper cites the farmers and ranchers from his home state of Texas: "For me, it's a tip of the hat to all the ranchers and farmers back home," he says.

"They are people that break their backs day in and day out to put food on the table. They don't want for anything and don't ask for it if they do," Cooper adds. "That image kind of stayed in my head while we wrote this song."

To fine tune the sound for "Old Crow Whiskey and a Cornbread Moon," Cooper enlisted fellow Texan Paul Cauthen to work out the strum pattern and flesh out the lyrics. Cooper had written the song's first verse and chorus about a month before their co-write, then shelved the song.

"I think he saw exactly what I wanted the song to be," Cooper says of Cauthen. "It was a blast to write and was simple to finish. It's one of my favorite songs that I've written, and it almost never happened."

"Old Crow Whiskey and a Cornbread Moon" is Cooper's latest single, and will appear on his forthcoming album I Rode the Wild Horses. The disc is scheduled for release on March 9, and available for pre-order now; it follows 2014's Give It Time.

Listen to Ross Cooper, "Old Crow Whiskey and a Cornbread Moon":

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