Don Gibson's 1970s hits to be remastered, rereleased

The late country music great Don Gibson is best known for his enduring classics like "Sea of Heartbreak," "Oh, Lonesome Me" and "Sweet Dreams," which were all released in the late 1950s and early '60s. This spring, more than two dozen songs he recorded for Hickory Records in the '70s, including chart-topper "Woman (Sensuous Woman)" and "Snap Your Fingers," will be remastered and released on CD on Omnivore Recordings.

"The Best of the Hickory Records Years (1970-1978)" was compiled by Omnivore co-founder and Grammy-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski and Craig Shelburne, author of a forthcoming Don Gibson biography, will be released on April 13. The release date falls near the 90th anniversary of Gibson's birth — April 3, 1928 — and the 60th anniversary of his April 12, 1958, induction into the Grand Ole Opry. 

"Most of the attention (Gibson) receives today is focused on his exceptional songwriting catalog and his incredible achievements on RCA Victor," writes Shelburne in the "Hickory Records" liner notes. "He deserves these accolades, to be sure, though they are only part of the story. The (album) brings back an important decade in Don Gibson’s impressive legacy."