In June 2011, country music legend Glen Campbell revealed that
he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Campbell also
announced he would release one last album which would be
accompanied by a farewell tour. At the time I
wrote, “I hope Campbell is able to make his way up to Boston or
New York because he has long been on my list of musicians I have
wanted to see in concert.”
Well, last week I crossed Campbell off my musical bucket
list when I attended his concert at the Wilbur Theater in Boston.
While I don’t know if Campbell will remember much from that show,
it is a night I and everyone else who attended will not soon
forget. Campbell’s tour continues through the
end of June. If he comes to your town don’t pass up an opportunity
to see an American original because this is it.
Although he has had multiple hits on both the country and
pop charts, “Rhinestone
Cowboy” remains his signature song and it is what introduced me
to the genius of Glen Campbell. In the 1970s and early 1980s, I had
an aunt and uncle who owned a record company in Palm Springs,
California called TeeVee Records. They mostly sold compilation LPs
and eight track cassettes and from time to time they would give my
parents some of their extra stock.
One of those albums was called Knockout, a
compilation of songs from the mid-1970s which featured a fist on
the cover. How “Rhinestone Cowboy” managed to be included on that
album is a bit of a mystery to me given that most of the songs on
it were disco hits such as “Shake Your Booty” by K.C. & The
Sunshine Band, “Saturday Night” by the Bay City Rollers, and “Disco
Queen” by Copperpenny. But, hey, it was the '70s. It was entirely
possible to have The Sylvers, Barry Manilow and Glen Campbell
co-exist on the same album. I cannot begin to tell you how much
these albums and eight tracks helped shape my musical
tastes.
So after hearing Campbell belt out “Rhinestone Cowboy” at
the Grammys
tribute earlier this month (which even had Paul McCartney
singing along), I quickly checked online to see if he was coming to
The Hub. I am glad the Grammys saw fit to pay tribute to Campbell
that night because otherwise I might have missed a once in a
lifetime opportunity.
The evening began with a half hour set by Instant People,
which consists of Campbell’s sons Shannon and Cal, daughter Ashley
as well as Phoenix based guitarist Ry Jarred and bassist Siggy
Sjursen from Norway. How can you go wrong with a Norwegian bass
player named Siggy? Their brand of music tends towards indie rock
but with a hint of country.
After a short intermission, Glen Campbell finally hit the
stage to a rapturous reception. Campbell struggled through “Gentle
on My Mind” and “Galveston.” He seemed to have difficulty singing
and playing guitar at the same time. Complicating matters is that
Campbell no longer remembers the lyrics to songs he has been
singing for over four decades and now relies on teleprompters,
which are set throughout the stage area. But sometimes it only
helps so much. Then again I would like to see President Obama
manage a day without a teleprompter.
Indeed, there were spontaneous moments as when he sang a
few bars of Dave Loggins’ “Please Come to Boston.” As the show
progressed Campbell seemed more comfortable and at ease, as was the
case when he sang the Don Gibson classic “I Can’t Stop Loving You,”
the pop standard “Lovesick Blues,” as well as when and he Ashley
battled center stage on “Dueling Banjos.” Whatever memory he has
lost, he can still play guitar with the best of them, his fingers
having lost none of their dexterity. At one point, he asked what
key they were about to play in and Ashley said, “E flat.” To which
Campbell replied, “Oh, that’s True Grit,” to delighted applause.
After briefly talking about John Wayne, he again asked what key
they were in. His children have learned to deal with his lapses in
memory and that for now the show goes on.
After a short break, which saw Ashley and Shannon sing
“Hey Little One,” Campbell returned to the stage to sing several
songs from his final album Ghost on the Canvas before
returning to more familiar territory with Jimmy Webb’s “The Moon’s
a Harsh Mistress,” “Country Boy (You’ve Got Your Feet in L.A.),”
and another Webb classic “Wichita Lineman,” which included a
fantastic guitar solo. With the opening chords of “Rhinestone
Cowboy,” the audience jumped to its feet, prompting a sing along.
It turned out to be an abbreviated version, as Campbell would omit
the second verse. But the show wasn’t over. Campbell returned to
the stage for an encore and flawlessly sang Allen Toussaint’s
“Southern Nights” before concluding the evening with “A Better
Place,” the opening track on Ghost on the
Canvas, before taking a bow and leaving to a
standing ovation.
The lyrics to “A Better Place,”
which were co-written by Campbell, are simple yet both poignant and
powerful:
I’ve tried and I have failed, Lord
I’ve won and I have lost
I’ve lived and I have loved, Lord
Sometimes, at such a cost
One thing I know
The world’s been good to me
A better place, awaits you’ll see
Even as Campbell’s memory recedes, his faith remains
strong. It also conveys the gratitude for the life he has lived
both good and bad and the determination to make the best of the
time he has left. Although it is dimming, the light still shines on
Glen Campbell.
