Woodward Maurice Ritter, born January 12, 1905, in Murvaul, Texas, known professionally as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and actor. In 1942, Ritter became the first artist signed to Capitol Records. He achieved his first Number 1 country single in 1944 with "I'm Wastin' My Tears on You", which also reached number 11 on the Billboard pop chart. He earned additional Number 1 country singles with "You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often" in 1945 and "You Will Have To Pay" in 1946. In 1952, Ritter recorded "The Ballad of High Noon" for the film High Noon, performing the track at the 1953 Academy Awards ceremony where it won Best Original Song. His single "I Dreamed of a Hill-Billy Heaven" reached number 5 on the Billboard country chart and number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. His studio and compilation albums include Cowboy Favorites in 1954, Songs from the Western Screen in 1958, Blood on the Saddle in 1960, Hillbilly Heaven in 1961, The Best of Tex Ritter in 1966, Just Beyond the Moon in 1967, and An American Legend in 1973. Ritter was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1964. He died of a heart attack in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 2, 1974, at age 68.
