According to Don Gibson, the idea for the song, “I’d Be A Legend In My Time,” came from reading a magazine article.

Don said, “I was riding in the car with Mel Foree. We were on our way to Knoxville, Tennessee. Mel was driving and I was reading a magazine to pass the time.  I started reading an article about an entertainer.  He talked about his show business career and that he would like to be a legend in his time!  I read that to Mel Foree and told him I thought it was a good song idea. I thought of it for a while and then started humming the melody.”

And that’s how “I’d Be A Legend In My Time,” was written!

Don Gibson wrote the song in 1960 and it was the flipside of his 1960 number eleven hit, “Far, Far Away,” which was on the charts for 11 weeks. Don re-recorded the song in 1972 and the second version peaked at # 12 and was charted for 13 weeks.  The flipside of this second version was  a song titled “What’s Happened To Me?”

Ronnie Milsap recorded “I’d Be A Legend In My Time” in 1974 and it was his 6th chart single and his third number one.  The song was on the charts for 13 weeks.

Doug Davis
Country Music Classics