Don Gibson
Don Gibson
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Don Gibson | |
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 Don Gibson in 1970 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Donald Eugene Gibson |
| Born | April 3, 1928 Shelby, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | November 17, 2003 (aged 75) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Years active | 1948–2003 |
| Labels | RCA Victor, Hickory |
Donald Eugene Gibson (April 3, 1928[1] – November 17, 2003) was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson wrote such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits ("Oh Lonesome Me") from 1957 into the mid-1970s.
Gibson was nicknamed "The Sad Poet" because he frequently wrote songs that told of loneliness and lost love.[1]
Early days[edit]
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Don Gibson was born in Shelby, North Carolina, United States,[1] into a poor working-class family. He dropped out of school in the second grade.
Career[edit]
His first band was called Sons of the Soil, with whom he made his first recording for Mercury Records in 1949.[1] In 1957, he journeyed to Nashville to work with producer Chet Atkins and record his self-penned songs "Oh Lonesome Me"[2] and "I Can't Stop Loving You" for RCA Victor. 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.[1]
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).[1] West and Gibson released an album together in 1969, titled Dottie and Don. He also recorded several duets with Sue Thompson,[1] 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).
His song "I Can't Stop Loving You", has been recorded by over 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles in 1962.[1] He also wrote and recorded "Sweet Dreams", a song that would become a major 1963 crossover hit for Patsy Cline. Roy Orbison was a fan of Gibson's songwriting, and in 1967, he recorded an album of his songs simply titled Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson.[1] 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.
Personal life[edit]
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Following his death from natural causes on November 17, 2003,[3] he was buried in the Sunset Cemetery in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina.[citation needed]
Legacy[edit]
Gibson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973. In 2001 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[4]
The Don Gibson Theater[edit]
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Located in Cleveland County, North Carolina, The Don Gibson Theater opened in November 2009 in historic uptown Shelby. Originally constructed in 1939, the renovated art deco gem features an exhibit of the life and accomplishments of singer-songwriter Don Gibson, an intimate 400-seat music hall, and adjoining function space that can accommodate up to 275 people. The theater showcases a busy schedule of premier musical performances. Past performers have included Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, Tom Paxton, Ralph Stanley, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, John Oates and Gene Watson.
Discography[edit]
Albums[edit]
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | |||
| 1958 | Songs by Don Gibson | — | — | Lion |
| Oh Lonesome Me | — | — | RCA | |
| 1959 | No One Stands Alone | — | — | |
| That Gibson Boy | — | — | ||
| 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 (with Dottie West) | 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) | — | — | ||
| 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 | — | — | ||
| 1976 | I'm All Wrapped Up in You | — | — | |
| 1977 | If You Ever Get to Houston | — | — | |
| 1978 | Starting All Over Again | — | — | |
| Look Who's Blue | — | — | ||
Singles[edit]
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US [5] | CAN Country | |||
| 1956 | "Sweet Dreams" | 9 | — | — | single only |
| 1958 | "Oh Lonesome Me" | 1 | 7 | — | Oh Lonesome Me |
| "I Can't Stop Lovin' You" | 7 | 81 | — | ||
| "Blue Blue Day" | 1 | 20 | — | ||
| "Give Myself a Party" | 5 | 46 | — | I Wrote a Song | |
| "Look Who's Blue" | 8 | 58 | — | singles only | |
| 1959 | "Who Cares" | 3 | 43 | — | |
| "A Stranger to Me" | 27 | — | — | ||
| "Lonesome Old House" | 11 | 71 | — | ||
| "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" | 5 | 85 | — | I Wrote a Song | |
| "Heartbreak Avenue" | — | — | — | Oh, Lonesome Me | |
| "I'm Movin' On" | 14 | — | — | single only | |
| 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 | — | |
| "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" | — | 108 | — | ||
| "Sea of Heartbreak" | 2 | 21 | — | The Best of Don Gibson | |
| "I Think It's Best" | — | — | — | Girls, Guitars and Gibson | |
| "Lonesome Number One" | 2 | 59 | — | I Wrote a Song | |
| "The Same Old Trouble" | — | — | — | singles only | |
| 1962 | "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart" | 5 | 105 | — | |
| "So How Come (No One Loves Me)" | 22 | — | — | ||
| 1963 | "Head Over Heels in Love with You" | 12 | — | — | |
| "It Was Worth It" | — | — | — | ||
| "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) | 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)" | 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" | 12 | — | 23 | Snap Your Fingers | |
| 1974 | "One Day at a Time" | 8 | — | 30 | |
| "Good Old Fashioned Country Love" (with Sue Thompson) | 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[edit]
| Year | Single | Artist | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | ||||
| 1969 | "Rings of Gold" | Dottie West | 2 | 1 | Dottie & Don |
| "Sweet Memories" | 32 | — | |||
| 1970 | "Till I Can't Take It Anymore" | 46 | — | ||
| 1971 | "The Two of Us Together" | Sue Thompson | 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 | — | |||
| "Maybe Tomorrow" | — | — | |||
| 1976 | "Get Ready-Here I Come" | 98 | — | ||
| "Let's Get Together" | — | — | |||
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 520/1. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 10 – Tennessee Firebird: American country music before and after Elvis. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
- ^ "US Country Legend Don Gibson Dies - 2003-11-18 | Voice of America - English". Voanews.com. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- ^ "2010 Inductees". North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 356. ISBN 978-0-89820-188-8.
Other sources[edit]
- Wolfe, Stacey (1998). "Don Gibson". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 199.
External links[edit]
- Don Gibson Discography
- Gibson discography at Emory Law
- Gibson in the Country Music Hall of Fame
- Gibson at the Nashville Songwriters Foundation
- Allmusic Don Gibson with Biography, Discography, Charts
- Don Gibson discography at Discogs
- Website for the Don Gibson Theater
| General | |
|---|---|
| National libraries | |
| Biographical dictionaries | |
| Other | |
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