Gene Autry was an American singer, songwriter and entertainer widely recognized as a major figure in country and Western music and the development of the singing cowboy persona. Active primarily from the 1930s through the 1950s, he performed a repertoire that blended traditional country, folk, and popular balladry, often featuring clear, nasal-tinged vocals, simple melodic lines and narrative lyrics concerned with rural life, romance and cowboy themes. Autry was also known for performing with acoustic guitar and for popularizing songs that became standards in the country and Western canon. His public image combined musical performance with film and radio work, helping to spread Western music and the cowboy iconography across the United States.