Magic Mountain

Fame varies over time. For decades, the two most important kinds of performer in the U.S. were: bandleader and crooner. One person stood out as the most successful at filling both roles. Vaughn Monroe (1911–1973), as a bandleader and crooner, was in a class by himself. On Saturday nights, NBC Radio broadcast Monroe singing with his band, in live performances from a different college campus every week. His records sold in the millions. Tall and handsome, Monroe appeared in movies and on television.