Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson

Tributee: Don Gibson.
For the week ending August 20, 1966, Roy Orbison's single "Too Soon to Know" peaked at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by country singer/songwriter Don Gibson, and that seems to have been Orbison's inspiration to go into the studio and record an entire LP of songs by Gibson, at the time a labelmate of his at MGM Records. It was a reasonable decision since, as with "Too Soon to Know," a widescreen romantic lament, Gibson's writing style suited Orbison's taste in heartbreak ballads. He gave excellent readings of such songs as "(I'd Be) A Legend in My Time," "(Yes) I'm Hurting," "Sweet Dreams," and "Lonesome Number One," bringing his typical style to their sad, lyrical themes. This may not have been a route back to the top of the charts, but the songs were ones Orbison could put his distinctive stamp on. ~ William Ruhlmann