On This Day in 2003, Country Music Said Goodbye to the Sad Poet Whose Songs Were Recorded by the Likes of Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and Patsy Cline

On this day (November 17) in 2003, country singer/songwriter Don Gibson died at the age of 75. Throughout his career, he wrote and recorded some of the most memorable and widely-covered songs in country music history.

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Gibson cut his first song, “Automatic Mama,” in 1949, with a band called Sons of the Soil. Mercury Records released the song. However, it saw no success. Three years later, he recorded several singles for Columbia Records, but saw a similar lack of interest from the country music world. At the same time, he was honing his skill as a songwriter.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1972, Don Gibson Reached No. 1 for the Final Time With a Song That Returned to the Country Charts Over 20 Years Later]

Gibson wrote “Sweet Dreams” and released it in 1956. It quickly became his first hit when it peaked at No. 9 on the country chart. Faron Young and Patsy Cline also released successful renditions of the song. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, “Sweet Dreams” was more than a hit for Gibson. It also landed him a job with the Acuff-Rose publishing company. As a result, more artists would be able to find and record his songs.

Gibson continued to see chart success as a recording artist throughout the rest of the 1950s and throughout the ’60s. Hits like “Oh Lonesome Me,” “Blue Blue Day,” “Who Cares,” “Don’t Tell Me Your Troubles,” “Seas of Heartbreak,” and “Woman (Sensuous Woman)” kept him in the upper reaches of the country chart. At the same time, other artists consistently had hits with his songs.

Don Gibson Wrote One of the Most-Covered Songs in History

Don Gibson wrote “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and released it in December 1957 as a single from Oh Lonesome Me. His version reached No. 7 on the country chart. However, it would go on to be his most notable contribution to American music.

To date, more than 700 artists have covered “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” For instance, Ray Charles recorded a version in 1962 and took it to the top of the Hot 100. Kitty Wells released her cover in 1958, and it went to No. 3 on the country chart.

Roy Orbison, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Conway Twitty, Sammi Smith, Elvis Presley, Martina McBride, and Van Morrison are also on the long list of artists who have put their spin on “I Can’t Stop Loving You.”

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