Don Gibson
b. 3 April 1928, Shelby, North Carolina, USA. If loneliness meant world acclaim, then Gibson with his catalogue of songs about despair and heartbreak would be a superstar. Gibson learnt the guitar from an early age and started performing while still at school. He worked some years around the clubs in Knoxville and he built up a reputation via local radio. His first records were made as part of the Sons Of The Soil for Mercury in 1949. His first recorded composition was Why Am I So Lonely?. Gibson recorded for RCA, Columbia and MGM (where he recorded the rockabilly I Ain't A-Studyin' You, Baby in 1957), but with little chart success. However, Faron Young took his forlorn ballad, Sweet Dreams to number 2 in the US country charts in 1956. It has since been associated with Patsy Cline and also recorded by Emmylou Harris, Don Everly, Roy Buchanan, Reba McEntire and Elvis Costello. I Can't Stop Loving You was a US country hit for Kitty Wells and then, in 1962, a transatlantic number l for Ray Charles. In 1991, the song was revived by Van Morrison with The Chieftains. I Can't Stop Loving You was also one side of the hit single (US number 7 pop, number 1 country) which marked his return to RCA in 1958. The other side, Oh Lonesome Me, which Gibson had originally intended for George Jones is also a much-recorded country classic. Gibson actually sings ‘Ole lonesome me’ but a clerk misheard his vocal. Chet Atkins' skilful productions appealed to both pop and country fans and this single was followed by Blue Blue Day reaching number 20 pop, and number 1 in the country charts, Give Myself A Party, Don't Tell Me Your Troubles, Just One Time and his own version of Sweet Dreams. In 1961 Gibson made his UK chart debut with Sea Of Heartbreak, which was followed by the similar-sounding Lonesome Number One. The sadness of his songs matched Roy Orbison's, who recorded an album ROY ORBISON SINGS DON GIBSON in 1967 and had a hit single with Too Soon To Know. His own bleak KING OF COUNTRY SOUL, which includes some country standards, is highly regarded. Gibson lost his impetus through his alcohol and drug dependency, but he recorded successful duets with both Dottie West and Sue Thompson. He had a US country number l with Woman (Sensuous Woman) in 1972. Gibson occasionally comes to the UK for appearances at country festivals, but strangely, his greatest composition, (I'd Be) A Legend In My Time, a US country number l for Ronnie Milsap, has never been a UK hit.