Radio debuted in Charlotte in 1922, and just a few short years later, in 1928, one of the country’s most influential singers and songwriters was born just up the road in Shelby, North Carolina.
Don Gibson launched his music career while still in high school, and broke into radio at the age of 20. From there he landed contracts that took him around the world with hits like “Sweet Dreams,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and “Oh Lonesome Me.” Gibson Landed in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
In 2009, a movie theatre in downtown Shelby, formerly known as The State Theatre, was rededicated as the Don Gibson Theatre, and hosts acts from around the country and around the world. The theatre, which still sometimes shows movies, keeps Gibson’s name alive for new generations in his old hometown. Stan Lowery, the executive director, talks to The Outdoor Guys about how a venerable old theatre is finding new life with a famous son’s legacy.
Listen here!
Show highlights:
- Big names you can see at the Don Gibson Theatre
- How far people will go, or come from, to visit
- Another legendary musicians also hails from Shelby — how a venue dedicated to him works hand-in-hand with the Don Gibson Theatre to promote the arts
- Shelby’s biggest claim to fame in the years Don Gibson was rising in popularity
More insight from The Outdoor Guys:
- Website: http://dongibsontheater.com
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/The-Don-Gibson-Theatre-184708510912/
- Twitter: @TheDonGibson
- Instagram: @dongibsontheatre
- What CMT wrote upon his passing in 2003: http://cmt.com/news/1480477/acclaimed-songwriter-don-gibson-dies/