Cotton Yancey Talks About His Vastly Different Careers And Growing Up As A Kid

Jason Hetland And Cotton Yancey

When you talk about a true rodeo icon one person needs to come to the forefront of everyone’s minds that has anything to do with the professional rodeo industry and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.  There is one man that has been through all sorts of trials and tribulations to get to where he is at today, not only in the industry but in many different factions for the entertainment business.  Jason had a chance to sit down and learn a little bit more about on of professional rodeo’s nicest guys, Cotton Yancey.

Yancy is not only a sought after rodeo announcer but is a very talented musician and a terrific movie producer and actor.  We sat down and talked about his music career to get things started, which in turn, skyrocketed him to his outstanding career in the movie business as well.  Things were not always easy for him and has , and will, always remember what he went through to get him to where he is today.  Find out all about this man in the story and interview below!

Cotton Yancey 

I have had the honor of knowing Cotton for many years as the Rodeo Round Up has been covering all the happenings pertaining to the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.  He has been a logisitics liason for the media personnel for many years and always goes above and beyond doing the job that he loves.  Along with the job he has made many close personal friends, like many of us, in the media room during each year’s ten day frenzy.

No one ever knew the depths of what he as been through but this year I was able to take time to sit down with him and get to know him a little better.  I felt it was important to allow you into his life a little bit so you can meet one of the men that never get the credit for allowing us to bring you the coverage we do every year from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.  What we found out will shock you about this wonderful man and rodeo icon.

Growing up as a young boy Cotton Yancey had to make some difficult choices and learn some hard lessons early on in life.  At the age of 16 he had a very successful band that quickly gained national fame and landed a recording contract and record deal.  Not knowing how to handle the spotlight and demands at such a young age he and has band members wasted all of their money and glory and found out that the music business was much more than what they thought it was going to be.

Once his professional music career was put on the back burner he found a new love to focus on which would be his love for another entertainment realm, the movie producing and acting business.  His first big movie directing assignment was a documentary film about the high school football season in Mississippi.  The state’s high school football program is one of the toughest and most sought after programs in the United States.  If I were you I would find his documentary film, Mississippi Juco, and watch it for yourself to see the great work he does and see for yourself the love that he has for the business!

The 3 Amigos That Make The WNFR Media Room Run Smooth

The other spot that has part of his heart is the sport of professional rodeo and he, once again, loves what he does and shows it with the amount of respect he gets and deserves throughout the year.  When at the WNFR he acts as a media relations person that sets up interviews and keeps everyone in line.  Although he is hugely respected in the media room he continues to say that he could not do it without the two other men that help him out over the 10-day run in Las Vegas.  The “Three Amigos” include Yancey, Doug Mathis and Giz McCraccen, both wonderful PRCA members, who enjoy the time they get to spend working side-by-side with each other once a year.

This was just a little glimpse into the life of Cotton Yancey so that you can get to know one of the men that makes everything roll smoothly for all of us in the media room each year.  He still travels across the country announcing rodeo performances throughout the year so if you have a PRCA rodeo coming to a town or city near you check it out.  Once you find out that Yancey is announcing don’t be shy and go introduce yourself and tell them the crew at the Rodeo Round Up sent you his way.  This will surely give him a smile and maybe even get a little chuckle out of him so you can see his personality for yourselves!

It is quite easy to follow all the breaking news and excitement with the Rodeo Round Up simply by copying this website into your favorites in your web browser for easy one-click access to event statistics. You can also like and follow us on facebook here, or by liking and following us on Instagram and/or Twitter at @therodeoroundup. Jason has also made it easy for you to be a part of his interviews by opening up a listener comment line. If you have a question for a certain rodeo star simply call in and leave your name, where you are from, who the question is for and what your question is and he will do his best to get it answered for you during his interviews!