▁song ▁on ▁a ▁poem ▁by ▁J . ▁Ke ir n ▁B ren nan ▁gr ieving ▁for ▁lost ▁compan ions . ▁ ▁The ▁song ▁became ▁widely ▁known ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁when ▁B ing ▁C ros by ▁sang ▁it ▁with ▁deep ▁em otion ▁in ▁the ▁Param ount ▁musical ▁Rh ythm ▁on ▁the ▁Range , ▁and ▁his ▁De cca ▁recording ▁of ▁it , ▁made ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁with ▁Victor ▁Young ▁and ▁His ▁Orchestra , ▁ ▁reached ▁the ▁Top ▁ 1 0 ▁that ▁September . ▁ ▁C ros by ' s ▁recording ▁of ▁this ▁and ▁other ▁" country " ▁songs ▁gave ▁them ▁a ▁legit im acy ▁by ▁showing ▁that ▁they ▁could ▁appeal ▁to ▁pop ▁s oph istic ates ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁rural ▁aud ien ces . ▁He ▁performed ▁them ▁with ▁integrity ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁" look ▁down ▁his ▁nose " ▁at ▁the ▁music . ▁ ▁" Empty ▁S add les " ▁was ▁later ▁recorded ▁by ▁many ▁artists , ▁including ▁the ▁S ons ▁of ▁the ▁P ione ers , ▁Johnny ▁Bond , ▁and ▁S ons ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in . ▁Part icular ly ▁notable ▁record ings ▁were ▁by ▁Roy ▁Rog ers ▁( 1 9 4 7 ), ▁B url ▁I ves ▁( 1 9 6 1 ), ▁Dean ▁Martin ▁( 1 9 6 6 ), ▁and ▁J imm ie ▁Rod gers ▁( 1 9 8 3 ). ▁ ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Writ ers ▁of ▁America ▁chose ▁it ▁as