Stanley Davis Jones

 Stanley Davis Jones (June 5, 1914 – December 13, 1963)

He is best remembered for writing "Ghost Riders in the Sky". He earned a master's degree in zoology from the University of California at Berkeley and competed in rodeos to make money. However, he dropped out in 1934 to join the United States Navy. After his discharge, he worked at many jobs, including as a miner, a fire fighter, and a park ranger. In his free time he wrote songs, and eventually more than 100 were recorded. As the guide for a group of Hollywood scouts who were looking at potential locations for films, he sang "Riders in the Sky" when they wanted to hear a sample of campfire music. Assigned as technical adviser to the filming of The Walking Hills, he became friends with director John Ford, who opened his way into Hollywood. Jones wrote almost entirely Western music. He composed songs for several Western movies by Ford and others producers, including The Searchers and Rio Grande. He also played small parts in several westerns. In 1955 Jones began writing for Disney Studios.

He was co-writer of the theme song for the television series Cheyenne, and Jones wrote again for John Ford's Civil War film The Horse Soldier. Three of his songs, "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky", the theme from The Searchers, and "Cowpoke", were chosen by members of the Western Writers of America as being among the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Jones died from cancer in Los Angeles in 1963 at the age of 49. He is buried at Julia Page Memorial Park in his hometown, Douglas, Arizona.