The music was later added by Daniel E. Kelley (1808–1905), a carpenter and friend of Higley. The song was eventually used by ranchers, cowboys, and other western settlers. It spread across the United States in different forms. The song has gone by a few different names, the most common being "Home on the Range" and "Western Home". It was officially chosen as the state song of Kansas on June 30, 1947. It is often thought of as the unofficial anthem of the American West.