They rode broncs, shared stories under the stars, and dreamed big. But only one lived to tell the tale.
Before Chris LeDoux became a country music icon, he was a real cowboy—riding bareback broncs across the dusty rodeo circuits of the American West. In the 1970s, one name echoed with his wherever he went: Mason Reed, a fearless and funny rider who was like a brother to Chris.
They shared everything: worn-out boots, broken-down trucks, and lyrics scribbled on napkins. Mason once said:
“If we ever get famous, promise me we won’t change.”
Chris replied, “If we do, I’ll make sure they remember your name.”
In 1976, during a competition at Cheyenne Frontier Days, Mason was thrown violently off a bronc. He sustained a severe neck injury and passed away three days later, at just 24. Chris never left his side. After the funeral, he vanished from the rodeo world for months.
In a handwritten note found years later, Chris wrote:
“The trailer’s quiet now. His laugh isn’t there in the morning. The world feels emptier.”
It wasn’t until 1982 that Chris returned—with a song. “This Cowboy’s Hat” holds a quiet tribute to Mason, with a verse about “the friend who taught me courage—even when he wasn’t there.”