who first sang rudolph the red-nosed reindeer

The song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was first performed by Gene Autry in 1949. It quickly became a holiday classic and has been covered by numerous other artists over the years. The song tells the story of Rudolph, a reindeer with a bright red nose who is ostracized by the other reindeer because of his unique appearance. But when a storm threatens to cancel Christmas, Rudolph's bright nose proves to be a valuable asset and he is celebrated as a hero.