Born 111 Years Ago Today in Pennsylvania, the Singing Cowboy Who Wrote the Western Anthem Popularized by Bing Crosby

Famous “singing cowboy” Richard Thomas Goldhahn was born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on this day (September 4) in 1915. Under the stage name Dick Thomas, he reached the top of the U.S. country chart in 1945 with the self-penned “Sioux City Sue”. The following year, Gene Autry would cover the song for his film of the same name. Sioux City Sue marked his first onscreen appearance after serving in the military during World War II.

Today, we’re taking a look at the life and career of singing cowboy Dick Thomas.

Who Was Dick Thomas?

Growing up on a pig farm near Philadelphia, Dick Thomas developed an early interest in music, learning to play the harmonica, violin, guitar and piano all by high school.

He began his career in 1934 as a yodeling cabin boy on a radio show called SS All In Fun.

Going to California

In the early 1940s, Dick Thomas followed his musical dreams out West, packing up wife Mickey and son “Dickey” and heading to California.

He supported his family with singing and master of ceremony gigs on the Hollywood club scene, along with a few roles in Western films. Later, he would land his own radio program on a Hollywood station.

However, Thomas had to put his career on hold to serve in the U.S. military during World War II. Before leaving, he recorded multiple songs in February 1945, including one he’d written himself called “Sioux City Sue”.

Upon his discharge six months later, Thomas was shocked to learn that “Sioux City Sue” was among Billboard’s most-played songs.

“I couldn’t believe it. I said it must be a mistake… And it kept moving up, kept moving up until I was — I was number one right by November,” Thomas recalled in a March 1999 interview with his grandson. “And my records were in the top five from September of ’45 until July of 1946.”

“Sioux City Sue” spent 23 weeks on the country charts, with a four-week stay at number one.

The same year, Bing Crosby recorded his own version, which topped the charts in Australia and reached number three on Billboard’s Best-selling Record charts.

[RELATED: Born on This Day in 1911, One of the First “Singing Cowboys” Who Shaped Ernest Tubb’s Career]

Dick Thomas’ other charting hits include “Honestly” (number four, 1945); “The Beaut from Butte” (number 13, 1948); and “The Sister of Sioux City Sue” (number 12, 1949).

He died on November 22, 2003, at age 88.

(Photo by American Stock/Archive Photos/Getty Images)