Richard Vaughn was a singer, multi-instrumentalist, orchestra leader, and A&R man for Dot Records. While in college, he joined The Hilltoppers, playing piano and singing. He wrote their first hit, Trying, in 1952. In 1954 he left the group to join Dot Records as music director, and subsequently formed his own orchestra which had a hit single, Melody of Love. Vaughn charted 42 singles, and thirty six albums on the Billboard 200.