I've never heard the story behind Gibbons' change in hat wear so this is really cool!
He explains that he traded his iconic 10 gallon hat to the chief of the Bamblike tribe in Cameroon during a 3 day break from touring in Vienna, Austria. The chief traded a knitted hat from his home nation that you can see Gibbon's wearing in countless photos and on stage for years.
Here he is with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin just last year wearing the same hat, albeit with another hat right on top.
Photos: Phillip Faraone/Jamie McCarthy - Getty Images