Abilene (song)


Abilene is a song written by Bob Gibson, Lester Brown and John D. Loudermilk, and recorded by American country music artist George Hamilton IV. The song reached number one on the U.S. country music 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.

Background and writing

Bob Gibson was inspired to write the song after watching the Randolph Scott film Abilene Town. 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 fourteen years later in 1977. His version became a hit on the Country charts, reaching #24 in the U.S. and #16 in Canada.
In 1999, The Mudballs included the song on their C. Of Love album.