Abilene is a song written by

Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ( ...

, Lester Brown and John D. Loudermilk, and recorded by American country music artist

George Hamilton IV George Hege Hamilton IV (July 19, 1937 – September 17, 2014) was an American country musician. He began performing in the late 1950s as a teen idol, switching to country music in the early 1960s. Biography Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, ...

. The song reached number one on the U.S.

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

chart for four weeks, and peaked at number 15 on the pop music charts. George Hamilton IV performed "Abilene" in the 1963 movie ''

Hootenanny Hoot ''Hootenanny Hoot'' is a 1963 folk music musical film directed by Gene Nelson. It stars Peter Breck and Ruta Lee. Plot A TV director, having split up with his producer-wife, decides to telecast a traveling hootenanny show. Cast * Peter Breck ...

''.

Background and writing

Bob Gibson was inspired to write the song after watching the Randolph Scott film ''

Abilene Town ''Abilene Town'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring Randolph Scott, Ann Dvorak, Edgar Buchanan, Rhonda Fleming and Lloyd Bridges. Adapted from Ernest Haycox's 1941 novel ''Trail Town'', the production's ...

''. The setting for the film is Abilene, Kansas, the railhead town at the end of the Chisholm Trail. Gibson said the song had often been erroneously thought to be about Abilene, Texas, named for the Kansas cowtown that had been established 24 years earlier but a much larger city.

Chart performance

Later versions

"Abilene" was recorded by

Sonny James Jimmie Hugh Loden (May 1, 1928February 22, 2016), known professionally as Sonny James, was an American country music singer and songwriter best known for his 1957 hit, " Young Love", topping both of the early versions of today's ''Billboard'' ...

fourteen years later in 1977. His version became a hit on the Country charts, reaching No. 24 in the U.S. and No. 16 (for two weeks) in Canada. In 1999, The Mudballs included the song on their ''C. Of Love'' album. Bobby Bare recorded a version of the song for his 1963 album, ''500 Miles Away from Home''.

References

External links

* 1963 singles George Hamilton IV songs Willie Nelson songs Songs written by John D. Loudermilk Songs about Texas Songs about cities 1963 songs RCA Records singles Sonny James songs {{1960s-country-song-stub