Cowboy was born at the sheep camp on Old McDonald station in the north east of Central Australia. He is an Eastern Anmatyerr speaker whose traditional country lies on the western side of the Sandover River on Utopia station, stretching west onto Mt Skinner station. He is the younger brother of the late Louie Pwerl, and senior custodian of a series of Dreaming sites,, the great variety of which can be seen in his paintings. He often depicts the nesting place of the Bush Turkey.