Songfacts®:

• They were made to ride and ramble
  They were made for desert stars
  They ain't broke in 'til they've broken
  A few horses and some hearts
  
  Here, Dirks Bentley pays tribute to his trusty, dusty old boots with a reckless reputation. "When I first really fell in love with country music, Jim Beam and cowboy boots came along for the ride," said Bentley. "I've had a few pair of boots over the years, many requiring duct tape at times. But they've been my consistent and steady companion through this crazy ride."
• Bentley previously touched on this song's theme of cherishing meaningful possessions in "I Hold On." On his 2013 hit, the country star expresses a deep attachment to his well-used truck and guitars.
• Ashley McBryde joins Bentley on this sentimental ode to lived-in footwear. McBryde supported him on his 2022 Beers On Me Tour in summer 2022, and each night Bentley watched her command the stage. "Not only does Ashley have one of the best voices in country music, she also always rocked a pair of boots when we were on tour together last year," he said. "I wanted someone that I could authentically sing this song with, and I didn't have to look any further than stage left. She's the real deal."
• Bentley co-wrote "Cowboy Boots" with Casey Brown, Jordan Minton and Hunter Phelps. He recorded the track for his tenth studio album, Gravel & Gold.
• Bentley co-produced the song with F. Reid Shippen, Jon Randall and Ross Copperman. The same four also co-produced the Gravel & Gold track, "Same Ol' Me."
• The musicians are:
  
  Drums and percussion: Aaron Sterling
  Bass: Lex Price
  Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton and Charlie Worsham
  Electric Guitar: Jedd Hughes
  Mandolin: Sam Bush
  Pedal Steel: Paul Franklin
  Keyboards: Jimmy Wallace
  Fiddle: Jason Carter
  Background Vocals: Trey Keller
• Bentley and McBryde filmed the performance video at Lower Broadway's iconic Robert's Western World. Bentley used the visuals accompanying the songs on this album to spotlight music venues around Nashville, including Exit/In ("Same Ol' Me") and Lyric Springs Country Inn ("High Note").
  
  "This album is all about returning to Nashville, with a new appreciation for all that we have here, that I've kind of taken for granted - places like Exit/In, Station Inn and Robert's, Bentley told Billboard. "Robert's is one of my favorite bars - I used to go down there and watch BR-549, Brazilbilly, Wayne 'The Train' Hancock. It was nostalgic for me to go back to these venues where I cut my teeth."