• Artist: Don Gibson
• Flags: Compilation (best of), Box set
• Type: Compilation
• Rating:
• Styles: Country-Pop, Traditional Country, Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan
• Track Picks: "No Shoulder to Cry On," "Walkin' in the Moonlight," "Why Am I So Lonely?"
• Similar Albums: Smithsonian Collection of Country Music, Vol. 4, Smithsonian Collection of Country Music, Vol. 3, Smithsonian Collection of Country Music, Vol. 1, The Best of George Jones (1955-1967), Some Think He Might Be King Elvis, Tears of Fire: The 25th Anniversary Collection, Currents, Silver Anniversary Collection, Early Dan Seals, The Best of Charley Pride [Curb], The Essential Ray Price (1951-1962)

Review

The 11 years covered in this first of two Don Gibson retrospectives by the German Bear Family label are the most captivating in his career. Beginning in 1949, Gibson began recording as part of the hillbilly jump band Sons of the Soil for Mercury. From the moment Gibson's lead vocal comes through the mix it is evident that even if he wasn't writing a lot of songs at the time, he was performing them as if they were his. Early on he issued four tracks, including the underground classic "Automatic Mama," a rockabilly prototype. A year later, Gibson & His King Cotton Kingfolks were at RCA working with Stephen Sholes and they issued eight sides that offered a more complex version of the Sons' style of country, bluegrass, and pop, with just a shade of jump thrown in. In 1952, Gibson moved to Columbia as a solo artist and recorded with Don Law and Troy Martin, and guitarist Chet Atkins, which is where his mature voice began to take shape, as evidenced by his first songwriting credit, "No Shoulder to Cry On," and a smoking version of Johnnie Masters' "Walkin' in the Moonlight." His chart success was evident, too, placing tracks steadily in the Top 40 of Billboard's country chart In 1955 Gibson moved again to MGM, where he recorded his first true smash and a bona fide country music classic: "Sweet Dreams." Yet it wasn't until he returned to RCA in 1957 that Gibson made of himself a living legend in recording arguably the greatest two-sided single ever issued in the history of the genre: "Oh, Lonesome Me" b/w "I Can't Stop Loving You," which sold not only for him, but was redefined by Ray Charles on his legendary Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music album. The late MGM period and his reunion with RCA is exhaustively documented here with alternate and unissued takes as well as unreleased tracks. Gibson was fortunate enough to be a big enough star when players like Floyd Cramer, Atkins, Rusty Kershaw, Buddy Harman, and Bob Moore were redefining the Nashville studio sound. The gospel tracks here -- from the albums No One Stands Alone and That Gibson Boy, as well as Sweet Dreams, which he re-recorded three more times before the end of 1960 -- were all so far above the bar artistically that it was difficult for critics to define Gibson, hence his crossover into the pop world where he influenced a young Gram Parsons among many others. In all there are 122 tracks on this four-CD set, and a fine booklet that offers exhaustive and accurate track information and a fine biographical essay. The sound is fine and the packaging, like all of German Bear Family's boxes, is exquisite. But it's in the music that the truth of Gibson's legend is borne out and on CDs two and three are where the songwriter finally eclipses the singer, though the singer remains a force of nature capable of interpreting any song in a personal and original way; just check out Gibson's read of Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On." This is essential for serious fans of the legendary music and for any Gibson collector because of its wealth of previously uncollected material. Volume two focuses on the years 1961 to 1968 and contains more gems, but this is the defining one. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
I Lost My Love (The Color Song)	...	Fred Wise, Milton Leeds, Dewey Bergman	Don Gibson	(2:49)
Why Am I So Lonely?	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:57)
Automatic Mama	...	Fred Stryker, Margery Claire	Don Gibson	(2:41)
Cloudy Skies	...	Claude Casey	Don Gibson	(3:13)
I Love No One But You	...	Lunceford Brothers	Don Gibson	(2:49)
Carolina Breakdown [Instrumental]	...	J.C. "Cleo" Davis, H.F. Davis	Don Gibson	(2:49)
Roses Are Red	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:39)
Wiggle Wag [Instrumental]	...	Summie L. Hendrick	Don Gibson, Summie L. Hendrick, Hal D. Peeler	(2:20)
Dark Future	...	Gene McGhee	Don Gibson	(2:20)
Just Let Me Love You	...	Stuart Hamblen	Don Gibson	(2:33)
A Blue Million Tears	...	Carl Butler	Don Gibson	(2:26)
Red Lips, White Lies and Blue Future	...	Doc Bowman, Frances Dailey, Wallace Dailey	Don Gibson	(2:42)
Sample Kisses	...	A. Smith	Don Gibson	(2:23)
No Shoulder to Cry On	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:41)
Let Me Stay in Your Arms	...	J.D. Miller, Jimmy C. Newman	Don Gibson	(2:31)
We're Stepping Out Tonight	...	Bennie Wallace	Don Gibson	(2:14)
Waitin' Down the Road	...		Don Gibson	(2:46)
Walkin' in the Moonlight	...		Don Gibson	(2:23)
I Just Love the Way You Tell a Lie	...	Ira Louvin, Charlie Louvin	Don Gibson	(2:16)
You Cast Me Out (Forevermore)	...	Roy Huskey Jr.	Don Gibson	(2:39)
Symptoms of Love	...		Don Gibson	(2:49)
Selfish With Your Kisses	...	Frank Wilson	Don Gibson	(2:20)
Ice Could Heart	...	Benny Martin	Don Gibson	(2:27)
Many Times I've Waited	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:34)
The Road of Life Alone	...	Fred Rose	Don Gibson	(2:42)
Run Boy	...	Hy Heath	Don Gibson	(2:43)
Sweet Dreams		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:34)
I Must Forget You	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:39)

CD 2

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
It Happens Everytime	...	Melvin Endsley	Don Gibson	(2:29)
I Ain't Gonna Waste My Time	...	J.D. Miller	Don Gibson	(2:29)
I Ain't A-Studyin' You, Baby	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:09)
I'm Gonna Fool Everybody	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:20)
I Believed in You	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:08)
What a Fool I Was to Fall (For You)	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:16)
You're the Only One for Me	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:26)
I Love You Still	...	Melvin Endsley	Don Gibson	(2:15)
Everything Turns Out for the Best	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:19)
I Can't Leave	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:21)
Sittin' Here Cryin'	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:22)
Too Soon to Know	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:35)
Pretty Rainbow	...	Vaughn Horton	Don Gibson	(1:52)
Blue Blue Day		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(1:56)
Tell It Like It Is	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:26)
Oh, Lonesome Me		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:32)
I Can't Stop Loving You		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:39)
Tell It Like It Is	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:14)
It Has to Be		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:28)
Give Myself a Party		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:31)
Look Who's Blue	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:26)
Bad Bad Day	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:39)
I Can't Leave	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:16)
Take Me as I Am (Or Let Me Go)	...	Boudleaux Bryant	Don Gibson	(2:33)
Heartbreak Avenue	...	Mel Foree	Don Gibson	(2:45)
We Could	...	Felice Bryant	Don Gibson	(2:32)
If You Don't Know It	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:13)
Sweet, Sweet Girl	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(1:53)
Blues in My Heart	...	Red Foley, Jenny Carson	Don Gibson	(2:41)
Give Myself a Party		Don Gibson	Don Gibson, Autry Inman	(2:38)

CD 3

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Taller Than Trees	...	Lee Ferebee	Don Gibson	(2:23)
Satisfied	...	Martha Carson	Don Gibson	(2:21)
Wait for the Light to Shine	...	Fred Rose	Don Gibson	(2:01)
Canaan's Land	...	Traditional	Don Gibson	(1:52)
(Prayer Is the Key to Heaven) Faith Unlocks the Door	...	Samuel Scott	Don Gibson	(2:34)
Evening Prayer	...	C. Gabriel Battersby, Charles H. Gabriel	Don Gibson	(2:30)
Lord I Am Coming Home	...	William James Kirkpatrick	Don Gibson	(2:35)
Satisfied	...	Martha Carson	Don Gibson	(2:23)
Climbing Up the Mountain	...	Mosie Lister	Don Gibson	(2:01)
Where No One Stands Alone	...	Mosie Lister	Don Gibson	(2:49)
Known Only to Him	...	Stuart Hamblen	Don Gibson	(2:55)
My God Is Real	...	Kenny Morris	Don Gibson	(2:34)
That Lonesome Valley	...	Kenny Morris, Traditional	Don Gibson	(2:02)
Who Cares (For Me)		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:23)
When Will This Ever End	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:08)
Sweet, Sweet Girl	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:10)
A Stranger to Me	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:35)
Won't Cha Come Back to Me	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(1:36)
A Stranger to Me	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:07)
As Much	...	Mel Tillis	Don Gibson	(2:01)
Who Cares (For Me)		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:15)

CD 2

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Ah-Ha	...	Rick Pier O'Neil	Don Gibson	(2:17)

CD 3

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
I Wish It Had Been a Dream	...	Ira Louvin, Charlie Louvin	Don Gibson	(2:43)
Ages and Ages Ago	...	Gene Autry, Fred Rose	Don Gibson	(2:20)
Even Tho'	...	Willie Jones, Webb Pierce	Don Gibson	(1:57)
Didn't Work Out, Did It?		Dave Rich	Don Gibson	(2:21)
It's My Way	...	Webb Pierce, Wayne Walker	Don Gibson	(2:09)
Almost	...	Jack Toombs	Don Gibson	(3:12)
Do You Think	...	Lee Emerson	Don Gibson	(2:00)
Foggy River		Fred Rose	Don Gibson	(2:01)
Midnight	...	Chet Atkins	Don Gibson	(2:14)
Lonesome Old House	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:10)

CD 4

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Don't Tell Me Your Troubles		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:13)
I Couldn't Care Less	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:07)
Don't Tell Me Your Troubles		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:18)
Heartbreak Avenue	...	Mel Foree	Don Gibson	(2:23)
Big Hearted Me	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:19)
Maybe Tomorrow	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:28)
Everybody But Me	...	Dave Burgess	Don Gibson	(1:56)
I've Movin' On	...	Hank Snow	Don Gibson	(2:12)
Just One Time		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:47)
I May Never Get to Heaven	...	Bill Anderson, Buddy Killen	Don Gibson	(2:43)
Lonely Street	...	Carl Belew, W.S. Stevenson, Kenny Sowder	Don Gibson	(2:31)
On the Banks of the Old Ponchartrain	...	Hank Williams, Ramona Vincent	Don Gibson	(2:41)
Why Don't You Love Me	...		Don Gibson	(1:51)
If I Can Stay Away Long Enough	...	Benny Martin	Don Gibson	(2:35)
Never Love Again	...	Doug Kershaw, Rusty Kershaw	Don Gibson	(2:00)
The Streets of Laredo	...	Traditional	Don Gibson	(3:21)
My Love for You	...		Don Gibson	(2:39)
My Hands Are Tied	...	Roy Drusky, Vic McAlpin	Don Gibson	(2:01)
It Only Hurts for a Little While	...	Mack David, Fred Spielman	Don Gibson	(2:25)
(I'd Be) Be a Legend in My Time	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:26)
Far Far Away	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:12)
Foolish Me	...	Tom A. LeMay	Don Gibson	(2:15)
My Tears Don't Show	...	Carl Butler	Don Gibson	(2:32)
The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise	...	Eugene Lockhart, Ernest Seitz	Don Gibson	(2:41)
What About Me	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:14)
The Next Voice You Hear	...	C. Walker	Don Gibson	(3:09)
Hurtin' Inside	...	Brook Benton, Teddy Randazzo, Clyde Otis, Cirino Colacrai	Don Gibson	(2:17)
Sweet Dreams		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:10)
Time Hurts (As Well as It Heals)	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:13)
What's the Reason I'm Not Pleasing You	...	Jimmie Grier, Pinky Tomlin, Earl Hatch, Coy Poe	Don Gibson	(2:00)
Sweet Dreams		Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(1:58)
The Same Street	...	Don Gibson	Don Gibson	(2:23)

Credits

Bill Monroe, Chet Atkins (Guitar), Chet Atkins (Guitar (Electric)), Chet Atkins (Producer), Chet Atkins (A&R), Floyd Cramer (Piano), Hank Garland (Guitar), Don Gibson (Bass), Don Gibson (Guitar), Don Gibson (Leader), Don Gibson (Vocals), Don Gibson (Main Performer), Don Gibson (Photography), Don Gibson (Illustrations), Don Gibson (Quotes Researched & Compiled), Sue Thompson, The Jordanaires (Choir, Chorus), Roy Orbison, Jimmie Lunceford (Fiddle), Don Everly, Anita Kerr (Vocals), Anita Kerr (Choir, Chorus), Jimmy Day (Guitar (Steel)), Grady Martin (Guitar), Rusty Kershaw (Guitar), Howard White (Photography), Howard White (Illustrations), Los Índios Tabajaras, Frank Abbey (Transfers), Frank Abbey (Disc Transfers), Frank Abbey (Disc Dub), Anita Kerr Singers (Choir, Chorus), Anita Kerr Singers (Vocal Group), Brenton Banks (Organ), Dick Baxter (Mixing), Ray Edenton (Guitar), Ray Hall (Mixing), Buddy Harman (Drums), Murray Harman, Jr. (Drums), Murray Harman, Jr. (Tambourine), Hoyt Hawkins (Vocals), Hoyt Hawkins (Choir, Chorus), Eddie Hill (Guitar), Roy M. "Junior" Husky (Bass), Tommy Jackson (Fiddle), Hugh Jarrett (Vocals), Hugh Jarrett (Choir, Chorus), Bob Jones (Mastering), Bob Jones (Disc Dub), Douglas Kirkham (Drums), Millie Kirkham (Choir, Chorus), Glen Kolotkin (Mixing), Don Law (Producer), Don Law (A&R), Neal Matthews (Choir, Chorus), Murray Nash (Producer), Murray Nash (A&R), Ernest Ernie Newton (Bass), Louis Dean Nunley (Vocals), Louis Dean Nunley (Choir, Chorus), Jimmy Riddle (Harmonica), Jerry Rivers (Fiddle), Wesley Rose (Producer), Steve Sholes (Producer), Steve Sholes (A&R), Velma Smith (Guitar), Leonard Sutton (Guitar), Mark Wilder (Research), Mark Wilder (Tape Research), Marijohn Wilkin (Choir, Chorus), Joe Zinkan (Bass), Dorothy Ann Dillard (Vocals), Dorothy Ann Dillard (Choir, Chorus), Stephen H. Sholes (Producer), J.C. "Cleo" Davis (Fiddle), Culley Holt (Choir, Chorus), Otto Kitsinger (Photography), Otto Kitsinger (Illustrations), Bob Moore (Bass), Jack Shook (Guitar), Hugh Gordon Stoker (Choir, Chorus), Henry Newton "Tommy" Vaden (Fiddle), Luke Brandon (Guitar), Luke Brandon (Guitar (Rhythm)), Troy M. Hatcher (Drums), Summie L. Hendrick (Guitar (Steel)), Autry Inman (Guitar), Autry Inman (Leader), Walter Lenk (Drums), James "Jimmie" Selph (Guitar), Troy Martin (Producer), Marion Sumner (Fiddle), Marion Sumner (Guitar), Ray C. Walker (Choir, Chorus), Loren Otis Shook (Guitar), Walter Garland (Guitar), English P. Jr. "Jake" Tullock (Bass), Dale Vinicur (Liner Notes), Dale Vinicur (Biographical Information), William Guilford Wright, Jr. (Vocals), William Guilford Wright, Jr. (Choir, Chorus), Marvin H. Hughes (Piano), Neal Matthews, Jr. (Vocals), Neal Matthews, Jr. (Choir, Chorus), Charles Wolfe (Liner Notes), Charles Wolfe (Discography), Charles Wolfe (Biographical Information), Bruce Hailstalk (Research), Bruce Hailstalk (Tape Research), Hoffman Nienburg (Artwork), Hoffman Nienburg (Art Direction), Hoffmann Nienburg (Artwork), R.A. Andreas (Photography), R.A. Andreas (Illustrations), Richard Weize (Producer), Richard Weize (Reissue Producer), Richard Weize (Research), Richard Weize (Discographical Annotation), Richard Weize (Tape Research), Richard Weize (Discography), Richard Weize (Biographical Information), Gerd Weiler (Artwork), D.C. Addis (Guitar), P.C. Destazio (Bass), Blackie Lunceford (Fiddle), Hal D. Peeler (Guitar), Joe de Priest (Photography), Joe de Priest (Illustrations), Howard Sisk (Guitar), Howard Sisk (Vocals), Velma E. Williams Smith (Guitar), Tennessean (Photography), Tennessean (Illustrations), John Gordy (Piano), James Barber (Fiddle), Robert Foster (Guitar (Steel)), Bill Kirby (Bass), Milton Scarborough (Accordion), Milton Scarborough (Vocals), Richard Baxter (Mixing), Sylke Lohmeyer (Artwork), Harold Harper (Guitar), Ned Costner, H.F. Davis (Banjo), Velvedere "Doc" Whitmire, Billy Roberts, Jim Barber (Fiddle), Jim Barber (Vocals), Russell Lee "Rusty" Kershaw (Guitar), Howard Osmond Jr. White (Guitar (Steel))