Famous for writing the western song, "Back in the Saddle Again." The
song came about when Whitley was awakened early one morning by a
telephone call from his bosses at RKO Pictures, who wanted him to write
a song for a new western he was to be starting that day. Explaining the
call to his wife, he said, "Well, I'm back in the saddle again." She
said that would be a good title for the song, he agreed, sat down and
wrote the song in just a few minutes. He performed it later that day
while shooting the movie. Cowboy star
Gene Autry later heard the song,
thought it would be perfect for him, got together with Whitley and
rewrote it slightly, then used it in his next movie, and it became his
signature song.
