Gene Autry
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Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning style on radio, in films, and on television for more than three decades beginning in the early 1930s. Autry was the owner of a television station and several radio stations in Southern California. He was the founding owner of the California Angels franchise of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1961 to 1997. From 1934 to 1953, Autry appeared in 93 films, and between 1950 and 1956 hosted The Gene Autry Show television series. During the 1930s and 1940s, he personified the straight-shooting hero—honest, brave, and true. Autry was also one of the most important pioneering figures in the history of country music, considered the second major influential artist of the genre's development after Jimmie Rodgers. His singing cowboy films were the first vehicle to carry country music to a national audience. In addition to his signature song, "Back in the Saddle Again" and his hit "At Mail Call Today", Autry is still remembered for his Christmas songs, most especially his biggest hit "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" as well as "Frosty the Snowman", "Here Comes Santa Claus", and "Up on the House Top". Autry is a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and is the only person to be awarded stars in all five categories on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for film, television, music, radio, and live performance. The town of Gene Autry, Oklahoma, was named in his honor, as was the Gene Autry precinct in Mesa, Arizona. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Grayson County, Died October 2, 1998 (Studio City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1955
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar, songwriter, composer, lyricist, yodeling, Musical group, arranger
Notes: Listed on some Columbia labels as "Gene Autry (The Yodeling Cowboy)."
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 251-275 of 464 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | C3401 | 10-in. | 10/9/1940 | You waited too long | Bob Atcher and Bonnie Blue Eyes | String band, with female vocal solo | songwriter | |
| Columbia | C3402 | 10-in. | 10/9/1940 | We never dream the same dream twice | Bob Atcher ; Bonnie Blue-Eyes | Female vocal solo, with string band | songwriter | |
| Columbia | C3423 | 10-in. | 10/12/1940 | Tears on my pillow | Louise Massey ; Westerners | String band, with female vocal solo | songwriter | |
| Columbia | HCO3502 | 10-in. | 12/31/1948 | The Bible on the table (and the flag upon the wall) | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO3503 | 10-in. | 12/31/1948 | I lost my little darlin' | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO3660 | 10-in. | 3/21/1949 | My empty heart | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, songwriter | |
| Columbia | HCO3661 | 10-in. | 3/21/1949 | I wish I had stayed over yonder | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, songwriter | |
| Columbia | HCO3662 | 10-in. | 3/21/1949 | Sunflower | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO3663 | 10-in. | 3/21/1949 | Ellie Mae | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, songwriter | |
| Columbia | C3700 | 10-in. | 4/29/1941 | Be honest with me | Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | lyricist, composer | |
| Columbia | HCO3811 | 10-in. | 8/3/1949 | He's a chubby little fellow | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, songwriter | |
| Columbia | HCO3860 | 10-in. | 8/3/1949 | Santa, santa, santa | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, songwriter | |
| Columbia | HCO3862 | 10-in. | 8/3/1949 | Story book of love | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO3878 | 10-in. | 8/16/1949 | Whirlwind | Gene Autry ; Cass County Boys ; Pinafores | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO3879 | 10-in. | 8/14/1949 | Riders in the sky | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO3880 | 10-in. | 8/16/1949 | When the silver Colorado turns to gold | Gene Autry ; Cass County Boys ; Pinafores | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO3965 | 10-in. | 12/8/1949 | Poison ivy | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | RHCO3967 | 10-in. | 12/8/1949 | Love is so misleadin' | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, songwriter | |
| Columbia | HCO3968 | 10-in. | 12/8/1949 | A new star is shining in heaven | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | RHCO4039 | 10-in. | 4/12/1950 | Don't send your love (to me by mail) | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | RHCO4040 | 10-in. | 4/12/1950 | Mississippi Valley blues | Gene Autry ; Cass County Boys ; Bert Dodson | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and string band | vocalist, songwriter | |
| Columbia | HCO4049 | 10-in. | 4/24/1950 | I love you because | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | HCO4050 | 10-in. | 4/24/1950 | The last straw | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist | |
| Columbia | RHCO4257 | 10-in. | September 1950 | The statue in the bay | Gene Autry ; Cass County Boys ; Pinafores | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and orchestra | vocalist | |
| Columbia | RHCO4262 | 10-in. | September 1950 | Let me cry on your sholder | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Autry, Gene," accessed December 22, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103669.
Autry, Gene. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 22, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103669.
"Autry, Gene." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 22 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Gene Autry
Discogs: Gene Autry
Allmusic: Gene Autry
Apple Music: Gene Autry
Grove: Gene Autry
RILM: Gene Autry
IMDb: Gene Autry
Britannica: Gene Autry
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Autry, Gene, 1907-1998 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82077164
Wikidata: Gene Autry - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q342723
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/113310336
MusicBrainz: Gene Autry - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/675b7627-6b5d-4a46-a728-785cb24a299e
Fast: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/93533 - http://id.worldcat.org/fast/93533
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