who wrote the song rudolph the red nosed reindeer

The song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was written by Johnny Marks in 1949. The song was inspired by a poem of the same name that Marks had written earlier for his younger brother. The song has since become a classic Christmas carol, and it has been covered by many artists over the years, including Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, and Burl Ives. The lyrics tell the story of a reindeer named Rudolph who is born with a shiny, red nose that makes him a target for bullying from the other reindeer.