Ghost Riders in the Sky: The Life of Stan Jones, the Singing Ranger

by Michael K. Ward

In Death Valley National Monument, 1947, a handsome young park ranger idly plucks his guitar, writes a cowboy song, and strikes gold. This is the true story of Stan Jones, now told in full for the first time. His great song "Ghost Riders in the Sky," continues to have a life of its own, performed all around the world in ever-changing musical modes, still casting an eerie spell over listeners today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2014

Reviews

[carl theaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know I knew Western singer-songwriter Stan Jones so well until I was intrigued by this title, which I recently noticed on the bookshelf in the Saguaro Tucson National park store. I was to learn most of us have heard tunes written by Stan Jones, but just didn’t know it.

I vaguely recalled ‘Riders in the Sky’ as a rock-n-roll tune, which as with most rock tunes you sing along with as ‘la la,la, Ghost Riders,,, lalala’.

Working as a US National Park Ranger in Death Valley in the late 1940s, Jones’ hobby was singing his western tunes to friends, family and anyone who couldn’t get away quick enough. With encouragement from Hollywood stars who were filming at the park, he took a vacation in 1948 to Los Angeles to sell his songs. Back at work months later he was astounded to learn that over a dozen popular vocalists were covering the air waves with one of his songs with its mystical lyrics, ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’.

The song turned into a mega-hit changing his life, but not so much his down to earth character, as he went on to write theme songs for many Western films and TV shows, such as John Ford’s ‘The Searchers’, and later working for a new enterprise, Disney. Two songs from my youth especially go through my head to this day, though until now I had no idea who wrote them, Wringle Wrangle (Jingy Jong dangle, cause I got me a pretty woman to love) and ‘Texas John Slaughter’ (made ‘em do what they oughter).

Taking a look at Youtube you can find hundreds of different artists who have recorded ‘Ghost Riders’, the variety is rather amazing, and as you read along in the book it’s fun to listen to his various other tunes.

For fans of the US National Parks, the story also is an insight to the early days of the parks when a Ranger had to do about everything from clean the bathrooms to rescue hikers on cliffs. After finding fame, Stan reluctantly left the Park service but always looked back on it as the Good Ol’ Days.

[Phil Semler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some years ago, while riding my bicycle downhill from Bisbee toward Douglas, Arizona I began to sing at the top of my lungs “Ghost Riders in the Sky” as I’m want to do while touring in the wide-open spaces beneath the seemingly animate cloud shapes of the American Southwest. I had no idea the ghost riders were looking down on me in Cochise County, where Jones first birthed the song after hearing an old story.

After finishing Ward’s fabulous bit of Americana in his Stan Jones bio, I’m a yippie-ay-o-ing. Such an Horacio Alger story, Stan Jones going from being a Death Valley ranger making $300 a month to receiving a $10,000 initial royalty check for his now immortal song, buying his first car, and offering Eden Ahbez half the money for throwing Burl Ives the song in Hollywood.

Ward’s writing is true, his affection for his subject, his affinity with the southwest, and good poetry and music comes through. I admit I’ve always ignored the moral imperative of the song, preferring to romanticize the Sisyphean (instead of forever pushing rocks, they must “catch the devil’s herd” and the cowpoke must “change his ways” or go to hell. Besides, it sounds like Jones continued to live the way he wanted, carousing until his early death.

I just recommended this book and the song to an English immigrant friend. He’d never heard the song before!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a greatbook this is! who knew the song we all know as an American classic had such a compelling backstory? If you think GhostRiders in the Skyis an old folk song, readthis bookand experience the facinating story of Stan Jones, the Singing Ranger, who wrote the song while working as a ranger in Death Valley in the 1950s If your interests includeThe American West,music,larger-than life characters,Hollywood and mid 20th century lifeyou will love this book.

[Susan Dietrich Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was enthralled and inspired by the beautifully told story of the Singing Ranger and composer of my favorite song of all time.

[Ted Prezelski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Ward was, like Stan Jones, a ranger at Death Valley and a musician. He feels a close connection to Jones and that love comes through.