Composer ("How the West Was Won"), songwriter ("Make Mine Music"), choral director, conductor, arranger, singer and author, educated at Christian College and a student of Tibor Serly, Ernst Toch, Herman Hand, and Victor Young.

He originated The King's Men male vocal quartet in 1929 and appeared on radio, films, concerts, television and recordings. Later he led and arranged music for the Ken Darby Singers. He was a writer and production supervisor for Walt Disney Studios, and associate producer of many record albums.

Joining ASCAP in 1946, his chief musical collaborator was Gordon Jenkins. His other popular-song compositions include "The Chool Song," "Love Song of Kalua," "Saga of the Ponderosa," "Ports of Paradise," "Merry Christmas Neighbor," "Endless Prairie," and "Whispering Wind".