Charles \"Charlie\" Ryan (December 19, 1915, Graceville, Minnesota -- February 16, 2008, Spokane, Washington) was an American singer and songwriter, best known for co-writing and first recording the rockabilly hit single \"Hot Rod Lincoln\".
Ryan grew up in Polson, Montana and moved to Spokane in 1943. He served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, he worked as a musician and songwriter, touring with artists such as Jim Reeves and Johnny Horton. In 1955, he wrote \"Hot Rod Lincoln\", and Ryan recorded the first version of the song (as \"Charley Ryan and The Livingston Brothers\").[1] Ryan released a remake in 1959 as \"Charlie Ryan and The Timberline Riders\"; the song was later covered by Johnny Bond (1960) and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (1972), among others.
