Sowders joined the nascent Long Ryders in 1982, recording three albums and an EP with the band before their breakup in 1987. The band reached the charts in the UK and gained a sizable cult following in the US while being popular on college radio. The band's take on American musical traditions was especially a success with critics in the UK, with Melody Maker calling their full-length debut, 1984's Native Sons, "a modern American classic". Extensive touring in the US and Europe helped make them one of the most successful independent bands at the time. After two independent label releases, the Long Ryders signed a major label deal with Island Records, who released the albums State of Our Union (1985) and Two-Fisted Tales (1987). State of Our Union became the band's best selling album and included their UK chart single and signature song "Looking for Lewis and Clark". The Long Ryders would later be regarded as a major influence on the alt-country movement that emerged in the 1990s.
