Ry Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is a guitarist especially well known for his slide guitar work. He was born in Los Angeles, California.

He first attracted attention in the 1960s, playing with Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, after previously having worked with Taj Mahal in The Rising Sons , and having played with The Seeds.

Cooder has worked as a studio musician and has also scored many film soundtracks, of which perhaps the best known is that for Paris, Texas. In recent years, Cooder has played a role in the increased appreciation of traditional Cuban music, due to his collaboration as producer in the Buena Vista Social Club (1997) recording, which was a worldwide hit. Wim Wenders directed a documentary film of the musicians involved, Buena Vista Social Club (1999) which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000.

Cooder's solo work has been an eclectic mix, taking in dustbowl folk, tex-mex, soul, gospel, rock and almost everything else. He has collaborated with many important musicians, including the Rolling Stones, Little Feat, the Chieftains, John Lee Hooker, Gabby Pahinui, and Ali Farka Toure. He formed the Little Village supergroup with Nick Lowe, John Hiatt and Jim Keltner.