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

Scene: Death Valley National Monument in 1947. A handsome young park ranger named Stan Jones idly plucks his guitar, looks up at the sky, writes a cowboy song … and strikes gold. Next Stop: Hollywood, where Stan finds himself working with the likes of John Wayne, John Ford, Gene Autry, and Walt Disney. The song becomes a timeless hit, bridges musical genres, and is recorded by hundreds of artists, including Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Judy Collins, and the Blues Brothers. Sounds like a movie? It's 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.