If a film has stars with names like Gary Cooper, Karl Malden, George C. Scott, and Maria Schell in it, well what you have is one big Hollywood movie! And such was the case with the 1959 movie classic 'The Hanging Tree'.

And who better to sing the theme song for a sprawling western epic than a man that, in those days, was known as one of the best western and 'cowboy' song performers on the planet.

Enter one Marty Robbins.

Marty Robbins is one of the biggest and most legendary names in country music history. Along with being a Country Music Hall of Famer, Songwriting Hall of Famer and winner or more honor's than I can list here, Marty was one of the greatest storytellers, particularly of what we call 'the Old West'.

And so singing the theme for 'The Hanging Tree' over the opening credits of the movie was, well, a natural. Marty would also include the song on his 1959 album 'Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs'.

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