Read Southall’s career might have looked very different had he not been thrown off the back of a bull more than once.
Read Southall sat down with the legendary bull rider JB Mauney during the National Rodeos Finals. (Now is the appropriate time to think about the sound bite, “He’s a $7 million bull rider.” But if you’re not chronically online like me, disregard that note.)
While Southall was at the NFR, their frontman, Read Southall, sat down with JB to talk about bull riding and country music one night. The Teton Ridge interviewer noticed that as soon as Read sat down, he told JB he was a massive fan of him.
Many rodeo fans are keen on JB because he is truly the best in the business regarding bull riding. Read noted that he’s a fan of JB not only because he’s a legend but also because he’s tired of riding bulls just like JB, but he failed. He respects how difficult it is to get to the level that JB did.
“Yeah, I’m a huge fan. I would say that I used to ride bulls, but I used to fall off of bulls.”
Growing up in the small town of Humphreys, Oklahoma, and later attending Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Read was around many cowpokes. Hence, it’s unsurprising he tried his hand at rodeoing. Unlike some rodeo professionals who get the itch for the sport, Read quickly realized that he sat on the back of the bucking beasts to look cool instead of loving the thrill of staying on for 8 seconds.
“But I realized that, you know, I only ever did it to get chicks anyway. And I figured a guitar wouldn’t chase me around when I’m done playing it. So, I figured I might do that instead.”
While it often takes an injury for some to realize that bull riding is more challenging than it looks, Read quickly realized that he looks just as cool with a guitar in his hand as he does on the back of a bull and avoided spending a lot of time in casts.
JB hilariously responds:
“That’s good thinking.”
@tetonridgeBetter to face a guitar than a bull, right? Good thinking Read
JB Mauney, while being one of the most successful bull riders in the sport, is no stranger to how dangerous it can be. In 2023, JB Mauney suffered an injury that would lead to his retirement. He broke his neck after being bucked off a bull named Arctic Assassin at the Lewiston Round-Up Division 2 Xtreme Bulls event in Idaho.
JB recalled in an interview earlier this year with WFAA the moment he knew this was a career-ending injury.
“Felt like somebody stuck a hot knife right in the back of my neck. I’d broke my back before, so I knew. I was like, ‘Son of a b—-, I just broke my neck.”
@evan208sayre JB Mauney’s last ride ever vs. Artic Assassin. Lewiston, ID 09/06/23. Definitely as tough as they come! #jbmauney #bullriding #prca #pbr ♬ Use my sound – Casenhuls
Even knowing that he was seriously injured, he walked off the dirt like a champ. Talk about cowboying up. A week after the fall, JB decided to call it for good and announced his retirement from the sport.
Maybe one day, JB Mauney could get Read Southall back on some bucking stock, but I think it would take a lot for Read to do that again after taking a few falls himself.
After watching his interview clip and hearing JB Mauney is working on song titles with Josh Abbott, I think it sounds like JB could be shifting from commenting on rodeo sports to country music. I’d love to see this man hold a guitar one day.