Don Gibson
Encyclopedia
Donald Eugene "Don" Gibson (April 3, 1928 – November 17, 2003) was an American
songwriter
and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You
", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.
, into a poor working-class family, and he dropped out of school in the second grade.
His first band was called Sons of the Soil, with whom he made his first recording in 1948.
In 1957, he journeyed to Nashville
to record "Oh Lonesome Me
" and "I Can't Stop Loving You" for RCA
. The afternoon session resulted in a double-sided hit on both the country and pop charts.
"Oh Lonesome Me" set the pattern for a long series of other RCA hits. "Blue Blue Day", recorded prior to "Oh, Lonesome Me" was a number 1 hit in 1958. Later singles included "Look Who's Blue" (1958), "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" (1959), "Sea of Heartbreak" (1961); "Lonesome No. 1", "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart" (1962), and "Woman (Sensuous Woman)
", a number one country hit in 1972.
Gibson recorded a series of successful duets with Dottie West
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the most successful of which were the Number two country hit "Rings of Gold" (1969) and the top 10 hit "There's a Story Goin' Round" (1970). West and Gibson released an album together in 1969, titled Dottie and Don
. He also recorded several duets with Sue Thompson
among these being the Top 40 hits, "I Think They Call It Love" (1972), "Good Old Fashioned Country Love" (1974) and "Oh, How Love Changes" (1975).
A talented songwriter, Gibson was nicknamed The Sad Poet because he frequently wrote songs that told of loneliness and lost love. His song "I Can't Stop Loving You", has been recorded by over 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles
in 1962. He also wrote and recorded "Sweet Dreams", a song that would become a major 1963 crossover
hit for Patsy Cline
. Roy Orbison
was a great fan of Gibson's songwriting, and in 1967, he recorded an album of his songs simply titled Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson
. Gibson's wide appeal was also shown in Neil Young
's recorded version of "Oh Lonesome Me" on his 1970 album After the Gold Rush
, which is one of the few songs Young has recorded that he did not write.
Gibson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
in 1973, and in 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Following his death from natural causes on November 17, 2003, he was buried in the Sunset Cemetery in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You
I Can't Stop Loving You
"I Can't Stop Loving You" is a popular song written and composed by country singer, songwriter and musician Don Gibson, who first recorded it on December 30, 1957, for RCA Victor Records...
", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.
Biography
Don Gibson was born in Shelby, North CarolinaShelby, North Carolina
Shelby is a city in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 19,477 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cleveland County.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
, into a poor working-class family, and he dropped out of school in the second grade.
His first band was called Sons of the Soil, with whom he made his first recording in 1948.
In 1957, he journeyed to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to record "Oh Lonesome Me
Oh Lonesome Me
"Oh Lonesome Me" is a popular song written and recorded by Don Gibson with Chet Atkins producing for RCA Victor in Nashville in 1958. The song topped the country chart for eight non consecutive weeks, in addition to reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" and "I Can't Stop Loving You" for RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
. The afternoon session resulted in a double-sided hit on both the country and pop charts.
"Oh Lonesome Me" set the pattern for a long series of other RCA hits. "Blue Blue Day", recorded prior to "Oh, Lonesome Me" was a number 1 hit in 1958. Later singles included "Look Who's Blue" (1958), "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" (1959), "Sea of Heartbreak" (1961); "Lonesome No. 1", "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart" (1962), and "Woman (Sensuous Woman)
Woman (Sensuous Woman)
"Woman " is a 1972 single by Don Gibson. "Woman " would be Don Gibson's final number one on the country charts spending one week at the top and a total of sixteen weeks on the charts...
", a number one country hit in 1972.
Gibson recorded a series of successful duets with Dottie West
Dottie West
Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists...
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the most successful of which were the Number two country hit "Rings of Gold" (1969) and the top 10 hit "There's a Story Goin' Round" (1970). West and Gibson released an album together in 1969, titled Dottie and Don
Dottie and Don
Dottie and Don is the name of a country music album by Country singers Don Gibson and Dottie West, released in 1969.This album was successful. Two singles from this album were also successful. The most successful was "Rings of Gold", which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Country charts in 1969. All...
. He also recorded several duets with Sue Thompson
Sue Thompson
Sue Thompson is an American pop and country music singer. She is best known for the million selling hits "Sad Movies " and "Norman", both pop hits for her in the 1960s.-Early life:...
among these being the Top 40 hits, "I Think They Call It Love" (1972), "Good Old Fashioned Country Love" (1974) and "Oh, How Love Changes" (1975).
A talented songwriter, Gibson was nicknamed The Sad Poet because he frequently wrote songs that told of loneliness and lost love. His song "I Can't Stop Loving You", has been recorded by over 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
in 1962. He also wrote and recorded "Sweet Dreams", a song that would become a major 1963 crossover
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
hit for Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
. Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
was a great fan of Gibson's songwriting, and in 1967, he recorded an album of his songs simply titled Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson
Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson
Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson is a tribute album recorded by Roy Orbison for MGM Records. It is a collection of songs written by Country Music Hall of Fame singer/songwriter Don Gibson who, like Orbison, often wrote about the loneness and sorrow that love can bring.The album was released in January...
. Gibson's wide appeal was also shown in Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
's recorded version of "Oh Lonesome Me" on his 1970 album After the Gold Rush
After the Gold Rush
After the Gold Rush is the third studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young. Released in August 1970 on Reprise Records, it was one of the four high-profile albums released by each member of folk rock collective Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu...
, which is one of the few songs Young has recorded that he did not write.
Gibson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
in 1973, and in 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Following his death from natural causes on November 17, 2003, he was buried in the Sunset Cemetery in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|||
| 1958 | Songs by Don Gibson | — | — | Lion |
| Oh Lonesome Me Oh Lonesome Me (Don Gibson album) -Personnel:*Don Gibson – vocals, guitar*Hank Garland – guitar*Chet Atkins – guitar*Harold Bradley – guitar*Bob Moore – bass*Buddy Harman – drums*Floyd Cramer – piano... |
— | — | RCA | |
| 1959 | No One Stands Alone No One Stands Alone (Don Gibson album) No One Stands Alone is the name of a country music album by singer Don Gibson, released in 1958. It was reissued on CD in 2000 by BMG with four bonus tracks.- Track listing :#"Satisfied"... |
— | — | |
| That Gibson Boy That Gibson Boy That Gibson Boy is an album by country music singer Don Gibson, released in 1959.- Track listing :#"Even Tho'" #"It's My Way " #"Midnight"... |
— | — | ||
| 1960 | Look Who's Blue | — | — | |
| Sweet Dreams | — | — | ||
| 1961 | Girls, Guitars and Gibson | — | — | |
| 1962 | Some Favorites of Mine | — | — | |
| 1964 | I Wrote a Song | 14 | 134 | |
| God Walks These Hills | — | — | ||
| 1965 | A Blue Million Tears | — | — | |
| The Best of Don Gibson | — | — | ||
| Too Much Hurt | 13 | — | ||
| 1966 | Don Gibson with Spanish Guitars | 4 | — | |
| Great Country Songs | 14 | — | ||
| 1967 | All My Love | 19 | — | |
| 1968 | The King of Country Soul | 21 | — | |
| More Country Soul | 26 | — | ||
| 1969 | Dottie and Don Dottie and Don Dottie and Don is the name of a country music album by Country singers Don Gibson and Dottie West, released in 1969.This album was successful. Two singles from this album were also successful. The most successful was "Rings of Gold", which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Country charts in 1969. All... (with Dottie West Dottie West Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists... ) |
21 | — | |
| Don Gibson Sings All-Time Country Gold | 17 | — | ||
| 1970 | The Best of Don Gibson 2 | — | — | |
| Hits, The Don Gibson Way | 39 | — | Hickory | |
| A Perfect Mountain | — | — | ||
| 1971 | Hank Williams as Sung by Don Gibson | — | — | |
| Country Green | 17 | — | ||
| 1972 | Woman (Sensuous Woman) | 16 | — | |
| The Two of Us Together (with Sue Thompson Sue Thompson Sue Thompson is an American pop and country music singer. She is best known for the million selling hits "Sad Movies " and "Norman", both pop hits for her in the 1960s.-Early life:... ) |
— | — | ||
| 1973 | Touch the Morning / That's What I'll Do | 26 | — | Hickory/MGM |
| 1974 | Snap Your Fingers | 21 | — | |
| The Very Best of Don Gibson | 30 | — | ||
| Bring Back Your Love to Me | 38 | — | ||
| 1975 | I'm the Loneliest Man | 47 | — | |
| Oh, How Love Changes (with Sue Thompson) | 43 | — | ||
| Don't Stop Loving Me | — | — | ||
| 1977 | I'm All Wrapped Up in You | — | — | |
| If You Ever Get to Houston | — | — | ||
| 1978 | Starting All Over Again | — | — | |
| Look Who's Blue | — | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1956 | "Sweet Dreams" | 9 | — | — | single only |
| 1958 | "Oh Lonesome Me Oh Lonesome Me "Oh Lonesome Me" is a popular song written and recorded by Don Gibson with Chet Atkins producing for RCA Victor in Nashville in 1958. The song topped the country chart for eight non consecutive weeks, in addition to reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100... " |
1 | 7 | — | Oh Lonesome Me |
| "I Can't Stop Loving You I Can't Stop Loving You "I Can't Stop Loving You" is a popular song written and composed by country singer, songwriter and musician Don Gibson, who first recorded it on December 30, 1957, for RCA Victor Records... " |
7 | 81 | — | ||
| "Blue Blue Day Blue Blue Day "Blue Blue Day" is a 1958 single by Don Gibson. "Blue Blue Day" went to number one for two weeks on the Country & Western Best Seller charts and remained on the charts for a total of six months . The song also became Don Gibson's second of four Top 40 entries, where it peaked at number twenty... " |
1 | 20 | — | ||
| "Give Myself a Party" | 5 | 46 | — | singles only | |
| "Look Who's Blue" | 8 | 58 | — | ||
| 1959 | "Who Cares" | 3 | 43 | — | |
| "A Stranger to Me" | 27 | — | — | ||
| "Lonesome Old House" | 11 | 71 | — | ||
| "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" | 5 | 85 | — | ||
| "I'm Movin' On" | 14 | — | — | ||
| 1960 | "Big Hearted Me" | 29 | — | — | Look Who's Blue |
| "Just One Time" | 2 | 29 | — | ||
| "Far, Far Away" | 11 | 72 | — | Sweet Dreams | |
| "Sweet Dreams" (re-recording) | 6 | 93 | — | ||
| 1961 | "What About Me" | 22 | 100 | — | |
| "Sea of Heartbreak Sea of Heartbreak "Sea of Heartbreak" is a song written by Paul Hampton and Hal David and recorded by Don Gibson in 1961.The song has been covered by other artists a number of times, perhaps most famously by Johnny Cash. Cash's daughter, Rosanne Cash, recently covered the song in 2009 as a duet with Bruce... " |
2 | 21 | — | single only | |
| "Lonesome Number One" | 2 | 59 | — | I Wrote a Song | |
| 1962 | "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart" | 5 | 105 | — | singles only |
| "So How Come (No One Loves Me)" | 22 | — | — | ||
| 1963 | "Head Over Heels in Love with You" | 12 | — | — | |
| "Anything New Gets Old (Except My Love for You)" | 22 | — | — | I Wrote a Song | |
| 1964 | "Oh Such a Stranger" | — | — | — | |
| "Cause I Believe in You" | 23 | — | — | singles only | |
| 1965 | "Again" | 19 | — | — | |
| "Watch Where You're Going" | 10 | — | — | ||
| 1966 | "A Born Loser" | 12 | — | — | Great Country Songs |
| "(Yes) I'm Hurting" | 6 | — | — | ||
| "Funny, Familiar, Forgotten, Feelings" | 8 | — | — | More Country Soul | |
| 1967 | "A Lost Highway" | 51 | — | — | Great Country Songs |
| "All My Love" | 23 | — | — | All My Love | |
| 1968 | "Ashes of Love" | 37 | — | — | The King of Country Soul |
| "Good Morning, Dear" | 71 | — | — | ||
| "It's a Long, Long Way to Georgia" | 12 | — | 20 | More Country Soul | |
| "Ever Changing Mind" | 30 | — | — | The King of Country Soul | |
| 1969 | "Solitary" | 28 | — | — | The Best of Don Gibson 2 |
| "I Will Always" | 21 | — | — | singles only | |
| "There's a Story (Goin' 'Round)" (with Dottie West Dottie West Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists... ) |
7 | — | — | ||
| 1970 | "Don't Take All Your Loving" | 17 | — | 31 | A Perfect Mountain |
| "A Perfect Mountain" | 16 | — | — | ||
| "Someway" | 37 | — | 31 | Country Green | |
| 1971 | "Guess Away the Blues" | 19 | — | 4 | |
| "(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle" | 29 | — | 29 | Hank Williams as Sung by Don Gibson | |
| "Country Green" | 5 | — | 7 | Country Green | |
| 1972 | "Far, Far Away" (re-recording) | 12 | — | 6 | Woman (Sensuous Woman) |
| "Woman (Sensuous Woman) Woman (Sensuous Woman) "Woman " is a 1972 single by Don Gibson. "Woman " would be Don Gibson's final number one on the country charts spending one week at the top and a total of sixteen weeks on the charts... " |
1 | — | 1 | ||
| "Is This the Best I'm Gonna Feel" | 11 | — | 3 | ||
| 1973 | "If You're Goin' Girl" | 26 | — | 9 | Touch the Morning / That's What I'll Do |
| "Touch the Morning" | 6 | — | 5 | ||
| "That's What I'll Do" | 30 | — | 83 | ||
| "Snap Your Fingers Snap Your Fingers "Snap Your Fingers" is a song written by Grady Martin and Alex Zanetis. It was originally recorded by gospel singer Joe Henderson in 1962, whose version peaked at #2 on the R&B charts and at #8 on the Hot 100 .-Cover versions:... " |
12 | — | 23 | Snap Your Fingers | |
| 1974 | "One Day at a Time" | 8 | — | 30 | |
| "Good Old Fashioned Country Love" (with Sue Thompson Sue Thompson Sue Thompson is an American pop and country music singer. She is best known for the million selling hits "Sad Movies " and "Norman", both pop hits for her in the 1960s.-Early life:... ) |
31 | — | 29 | single only | |
| "Bring Back Your Love to Me" | 9 | — | 14 | Bring Back Your Love to Me | |
| 1975 | "I'll Sing for You" | 27 | — | — | |
| "(There She Goes) I Wish Her Well" | 24 | — | 48 | I'm the Loneliest Man | |
| "Don't Stop Loving Me" | 43 | — | — | Don't Stop Loving Me | |
| "I Don't Think I'll Ever (Get Over You)" | 76 | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "You've Got to Stop Hurting Me Darling" | 79 | — | — | |
| "Doing My Time" | 39 | — | — | I'm All Wrapped Up in You | |
| "I'm All Wrapped Up in You" | 23 | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Fan the Flame, Feed the Fire" | 30 | — | — | If You Ever Get to Houston |
| "If You Ever Get to Houston (Look Me Down)" | 16 | — | — | ||
| "When Do We Stop Starting Over" | 67 | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Starting All Over Again" | 16 | — | — | Starting All Over Again |
| "The Fool" | 22 | — | — | ||
| "Oh, Such a Stranger" | 61 | — | — | Look Who's Blue | |
| "I Love You Because" | flip | — | — | ||
| "Any Day Now" | 26 | — | 31 | ||
| 1979 | "Forever One Day at a Time" | 37 | — | 33 | singles only |
| 1980 | "Sweet Sensuous Sensations" | 42 | — | — | |
| "I'd Be Crazy Over You" | — | — | — | ||
| "Love Fires" | 80 | — | — |
Singles from collaboration albums
| Year | Single | Artist | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | ||||
| 1969 | "Rings of Gold Rings of Gold "Rings of Gold" is a single by American country music artists Dottie West and Don Gibson. Released in February 1969, it was the first single from their album Dottie and Don. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks... " |
Dottie West Dottie West Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists... |
2 | 1 | Dottie & Don |
| "Sweet Memories" | 32 | — | |||
| 1970 | "Till I Can't Take It Anymore Till I Can't Take It Anymore "Till I Can't Take It Anymore" is a song written by Clyde Otis and Ulysses Burton. It was first recorded as a duet between Dottie West and Don Gibson, whose version went to number 46 on the Hot Country Songs charts in 1970. Since then, it has also charted as a single by Andra Willis, whose version... " |
46 | — | ||
| 1971 | "The Two of Us Together" | Sue Thompson Sue Thompson Sue Thompson is an American pop and country music singer. She is best known for the million selling hits "Sad Movies " and "Norman", both pop hits for her in the 1960s.-Early life:... |
50 | — | The Two of Us Together |
| 1972 | "Did You Ever Think" | 71 | — | ||
| "I Think They Call It Love" | 37 | — | |||
| "Cause I Love You" | 64 | — | |||
| 1973 | "Go with Me" | 52 | 49 | ||
| "Warm Love" | 53 | 52 | |||
| 1975 | "No One Will Ever Know" | — | — | Oh, How Love Changes | |
| "Oh, How Love Changes" | 36 | — | |||
| "I Can't Tell My Heart That" | — | — | |||
| 1976 | "Get Ready-Here I Come" | 98 | — | ||
| "Let's Get Together" | — | — |