68 Years Ago, Don Gibson Was at No. 1 With a Country Classic That Was Later Covered by Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and the Muppets

68 years ago today (April 14), Don Gibson was at the top of the country charts with “Oh Lonesome Me.” The song remained at No. 1 for eight nonconsecutive weeks. It was also Gibson’s only crossover hit, peaking at No. 7 on the Hot 100. The hit inspired a long list of cover versions. However, none of those were as successful as the original.

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Gibson wrote “Oh Lonesome Me” and released it as a single in December 1957. The song quickly climbed both the pop and country charts. Several other artists have had varying degrees of success with the song over the years. Today, it remains a favorite among classic country fans.

[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]

It seems that Gibson understood that simplicity was the key to longevity. This song and its B-side, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” are enduring hits. However, they’re not packed with clever wordplay or deep metaphors. Instead, he used these songs to express universal emotions. More importantly, he did so in a way that allowed the lyrics to resonate with anyone who had been there.

Johnny Cash had a minor hit with “Oh Lonesome Me” in 1961. His rendition went to No. 13 on the country chart. Ray Charles, Beil Young, the Everly Brothers, Stonewall Jackson, and several more have turned in renditions of the song as well. One of the most recent covers came from the Kentucky Headhunters. They took the song to No. 8 in 1990, giving the band their biggest hit.

Loretta Lynn also covered “Oh Lonesome Me.” However, she didn’t release it as a single or on an album. Instead, she sang it with a group of Muppet dogs on a 1978 episode of The Muppet Show.

Don Gibson Delivered a Standard with This Song’s B-Side

While Don Gibson had a major hit with “Oh Lonesome Me,” the B-side has shown more longevity. “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was a top 10 country hit for Gibson. Then, it became a country standard.

Countless artists have recorded “I Can’t Stop Loving You” since Gibson released it in 1975. Kitty Wells made it a top 5 hit the same year. Count Basie’s rendition won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement in 1963. Faron Young, Frank Sinatra, Jim Reeves, Duke Ellington, Jerry Lee Lewis, Freddy Fender, and Bryan Adams are among those who have also covered the song.

No one had a bigger hit with “I Can’t Stop Loving You” than Ray Charles. He recorded it for Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, but didn’t initially release it as a single. According to Songfacts, some radio DJs began playing it, and Tab Hunter heard it. He recorded a rendition and released it as a single. Furious, Charles and ABC Records chose not only to release it as a single but also to give it a hard push. The publicity storm included a full-page ad in Billboard magazine.

Charles’ version topped the Pop, R&B, and Adult Contemporary charts.

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