Reviewed by Dave Brassington

Don Gibson's career has been a series of ups and downs (which are well chronicled in the excellent book you get with this box set. Between 1949-1955 Don can only be described as a minor leaguer whose recordings for various labels (all gathered here) represent pleasant 50s style country, with plenty of steel and fiddle, despite his lack of chart success. By 1955 Don had managed to record one classic song "Sweet Dreams" for MGM, which became a country hit for Faron Young. Don's career really took off when he re-signed with RCA Victor when his long time friend Chet Atkins became country producer. At a time when country music was fighting for survival against rock'n'roll, Chet quickly decided to drop traditional country steel and fiddle and concentrate on Don's innovative guitar sounds, with the piano of Floyd Cramer and vocal groups giving us the early Nashville sound. For years Don had struggled to get his songs heard and for the vast majority of this box set you can hear how well he has succeeded. Most of Don's best compositions are here from his prime chart period "Blue Blue Bat", "Oh, Lonesome Me", "I Can't Stop Loving You", "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles", it's a veritable country hit parade, plus we get six complete albums. His original MGM LP 'Sweet Dreams', which was only issued after the subsequent success of his RCA Victor recordings, and his first five RCA Victor albums, 'Oh Lonesome Me', 'No One Stands Alone', That Gibson Boy', 'Look Who's Blue' and 'Sweet Dreams'. Don would subsequently record a second gospel album 'God Walks These Hills' which will probably reappear if a second box set is issued of his RCA recordings from 1961. It goes to show the strength of gospel material that in 1958 RCA should make Don's second LP a gospel album, bearing in mind that he was now a 'hot' country artist. Over 30 odd years later 'No One Stands Alone' still sounds remarkably fresh. With a nice selection of songs: "Taller Than Trees", "Wait For The Light To Shine", "Evening Prayer", RCA obviously wanted plenty of safe, well-known material. The Road Runners get the chance to show off their talents, an organ adds a nice touch to Don's pleasant vocals and unlike some country gospel albums, it doesn't get swamped out with strings. We also get an unissued version of "Satisfied". Having been a Don Gibson fan since the great days of "Oh Lonesome Me", I was pleased to add this to my collection.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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