Vaughn Monroe

Vaughn Monroe (October 7, 1911 - May 21, 1973) was an American singer, trumpeter and big band leader, most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Monroe was born in Akron, Ohio. He formed a band in Boston in 1940 and became its principal vocalist.

He recorded extensively for RCA Victor until the 1950s and his signature tune was "Racing with the Moon" (1941). Among his other hits were "There I've Said It Again" (1945), "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" (1946), "Ballerina" (1947), "Ghost Riders in the Sky" (1949), "Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You)" (1949), and "Sound Off" (1951). One lost opportunity - he turned down the chance to record "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".

He was tall and handsome which helped him as a band leader and singer, as well as in Hollywood, although he did not pursue a movie and television career with vigor. He was sometimes called 'the baritone with muscles'. He was admired by some and derided by others for both his singing and his persona. He had a pleasant baritone voice that wasn't always quite good enough for the songs he sang, according to his critics. (One said "If he'd just open his mouth further so the sound would come out of IT, instead of his nose....".) Spike Jones' satirical rendition of "Ghost Riders" openly made fun of Monroe, even mentioning him by name in the song. The judgment of these critics is open to question, as Monroe's recordings reveal that he was one of the rare popular singers with a voice approaching operatic caliber.

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