Vaughn Monroe displayed early aptitude on trumpet yet ultimately pursued opera training, a path that yielded nearly ten number-one singles throughout the 1940s along with affectionate monikers for his resonant baritone such as “The Voice with Hairs on Its Chest” and “Old Leather Tonsils.” Born in Akron, Ohio, he relocated to Wisconsin during childhood and concentrated on the trumpet throughout his youth. His operatic aspirations soon opened doors as a vocalist with regional ensembles directed by Austin Wylie, Larry Funk—on whose sessions he cut his first sides—and Jack Marshand. While stationed in Boston alongside Marshand, Monroe assembled his initial orchestra and began cutting sides for Victor’s budget Bluebird imprint. The 1940 release “There I Go” held the top slot on the Hit Parade for three weeks, and that same year the comparatively restrained ensemble earned recognition as the nation’s leading college band. His signature theme “Racing with the Moon” surfaced in 1941, followed within eighteen months by three additional chart-toppers: “My Devotion,” “When the Lights Go on Again (All Over the World),” and “Let’s Get Lost.”
Although the initial recordings sold well, Monroe’s largest successes still lay ahead. In 1945 both “There! I’ve Said It Again” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” remained at number one for more than a month apiece. His two most enduring smashes arrived later—“Ballerina” in 1947 and the venerable Western tune “Riders in the Sky” in 1949. The latter prompted a brief foray into Hollywood’s singing-cowboy pictures, including the early-1950s features The Singing Guns and The Toughest Man in Arizona. Around the same period Monroe dissolved his orchestra yet sustained a presence on radio and television, notably as longtime host of Camel Caravan. A pair of mid-1950s novelty items—“They Were Doin’ the Mambo” and “Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots”—marked his final chart entries. He later served as a spokesman for RCA Victor and maintained live performances into the early 1970s.
