Don Gibson - Am I That Easy to Forget (1973/2018)

True to the time-worn budget album formula, Am I That Easy to Forget? assembles nine of Don Gibson's RCA recordings, all of which are covers of well-known country hits. He even covers his own hits: "Oh, Lonesome Me" is a very different reworking with distorted guitar leads, and "I Can't Stop Loving You" is a soulful remake with prominent organ fills. Gibson's propensity for rearranging material helps hold the listener's interest; for example, the unique phrasing and wah-wah guitar solo on "Bonaparte's Retreat" are completely different from Billy Grammer's hit version, and Gibson takes "A Little Bitty Tear" at a much slower pace than Burl Ives did. The package is misleading since most buyers would wrongly assume that it contains two of Gibson's biggest hits; but it isn't a bad collection otherwise.