Vaughn Monroe 'Riders In The Sky' 1949 78 rpm

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The rare original recording of this now classic country song was recorded by the writer Spike Jones in 1948/49. Songwriter Eden Ahbez (Nature Boy) recorded a version then sent it to Burl Ives who recorded the first hit version #21 in February 1949 followed in March by Vaughn who took his recording to #1 the flip 'Red Roses For A Blue Lady' won't have hindered its progress up the chart.
Vaughn was a big band leader and singer, trumpeter, actor, broadcaster and businessman. His beautiful baritone voice earned him nicknames such as 'The baritone with muscles' and 'The voice with hair on it's chest'.
Born in 1911, he was a highly successful student he also mastered the trumpet but his ambition was to be an opera singer, he started singing for local bands, he formed his first orchestra in 1940 and signed to RCA's Bluebird label. The hits came very quickly, 'There I Go' one of his first releases reached #5 in the US.
Vaughn recorded what was to become his theme song 'Racing With The Moon' in 1941, his first #1 came in 1944 with 'There I've Said It Again'.
He disbanded his orchestra who at various times had included Red Nichol, Don Costa and Ray Conniff in the early 50' though he continued to record and became a spokesman for RCA into the 1970's.
He died from complications after surgery for a stomach ulcer on May 21st 1973.