Don Gibson Greatest Hits CD

An excellent songwriter whose Everyman singing voice was capable of subtle emotional leverage, Don Gibson walked the line between pop, folk, and pure country about as well as anyone ever has, and at least three of his songs, "Sweet Dreams," "Oh, Lonesome Me," and "I Can't Stop Lovin' You," have become acknowledged classics in both the pop and country arenas. This set has versions of all three of those songs, and several other excellent ones, as well, but unfortunately these aren't the original RCA recordings but do-overs Gibson did later in his career when he was contracted to Nashville's Hickory Records. That doesn't make this set a complete wash, since Gibson turns in solid renditions here, but the original RCA versions are more succinct, defined, and feature more of an intangible presence that makes them the preferable recordings. ~ Steve Leggett