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The Spectacle Blog
Legendary country music singer Glen Campbell has revealed that he has Alzheimer’s Disease. He was informed of his condition about six months ago.
Yet despite the diagnosis, the 75-year-old Campbell plans to release one more album in August and then go on a final tour.
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.
The first Glen Campbell song I ever heard? Why “Rhinestone Cowboy”, of course. But before that there were all those magnificent Jimmy Webb songs he turned into works of art - “Wichita Lineman”, “By The Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Galveston” to name but several.
Campbell has long been a conservative and yet enjoyed fruitful collaborations with the likes of Webb and The Smothers Brothers. I get the sense they respected Campbell’s boundaries and he respected theirs.
Of course, Campbell has had long documented battles with divorce, drugs and drink. But what’s done is done. I hope Campbell will make the very best of the circumstances he has been handed and wish him the best in making music one last time.
View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/06/22/glen-campbell-i-have-alzheimer
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Skippy| 6.22.11 @ 5:11PM
His rendition of John Hartford's "Gentle on my Mind" is one of the great recordings of the era.
Hartford was a truly original musician, and is sorely missed.
Vaya con Dios.
Wlady | 6.22.11 @ 9:46PM
Well said, though I'd say "Gentle on My Mind" is one of the great recordings of any era. It will outlast all the other Campbell songs combined.
l5j6| 6.22.11 @ 5:14PM
I too have fond memories of his early recordings....... Galveston, Witchita Lineman and By the Time I Get to Phoenix. Good luck Glen.
Jocon307 | 6.22.11 @ 5:47PM
Sad news, I wish him the best. I really, really like Glen Campbell, glad to hear he is on the right side, even though very sorry to hear he is sick.
astorian| 6.22.11 @ 5:48PM
Long before Glen Campbell became a successful recording artist, millions of people listened to his work and loved it without even knowing it.
Glen was a steady member of "The Wrecking Crew," a team of session musicians who appeared on countless records in every musical genre, in the early to mid Sixties.
When you listened to a Beach Boys record, most likely you weren't hearing Mie Love or the Wilson brothers. You were probably hearing Glen Campbell on guitar, Carol Kaye on bass, Leon Russell on piano and Hal Blaine on drums.
Glen and the Wrecking Crew were also the real Monkees, sometimes the real Byrds. They also backed up everyone from Elvis to Dean Martin to Simon and garfunkel. If you have any records from the early Sixties, there's a decent chance Glen Campbell and the Wrecking Crew appeared on them.
Grzmlyk| 6.23.11 @ 12:08PM
Great points, Astorian.
Glen has always been the real deal; I even kinda liked his TV show.
His hits are forever entwined with my childhood, and whenver I hear Wichita Lineman, By the Time I Get to Phoenix or Galveston, I'm a kid again: The smell of clover, the sound of cicadas, the joy of endless summer days and my trusty bike await.
Michael L. Hauschild| 6.22.11 @ 6:51PM
I sat in the now abandoned Rosenblatt Stadium (college world series) in a sport coat and knit tie to watch the Beach Boys in Campbell’s tour days. It was the first concert I had ever attended. I had a pair of Bushnell binoculars (how is that for high tech) and we (double date) took turns watching and were wondering who he was since we could not recognize him from our album covers. I remember being kind of mad because he was not a “real” beach boy. Silly me.
c. j. acworth| 6.22.11 @ 7:02PM
You know, I even thought he did a credible job as LeBeouf in the original True Grit. For a fellow with no acting training, anyway.
Clint| 6.22.11 @ 7:14PM
LaBoeuf: I ain't dead yet, you bushwhacker. Hang on.
Frank| 6.22.11 @ 11:31PM
I remember seeing Glenn on his uncle's (Dick Bills) afternoon kiddie show on KOB in Albuquerque, NM.
Ridding down the trail to Albuquerque,
Saddle bags all filled with beans and jerky.
Heading for K circle B,
TV land for you and me,
K circle B in Albuquerque!
Occam's Tool| 6.23.11 @ 12:44AM
I liked his stuff. He was touring in New Zealand a few years ago. Of course, the funniest thing about the song "Galveston," is that, other than the city's name, there is NO description of the city at all. There's a reason for that---the city is a cesspool, with all the crime of a large city per capita and all of the culture of a small town. Let's see, whose Congressional district is it in again? I know he accepts a LOT of Pork for his District....
weddingdresses | 6.23.11 @ 5:25AM
I liked his stuff. He was touring in New Zealand a few years ago. Of course, the funniest thing about the song "Galveston," is that, other than the city's name, there is NO description of the city at all. There's a reason for that---the city is a cesspool, with all the crime of a large city per capita and all of the culture of a small town. Let's see, whose Congressional district is it in again? I know he accepts a LOT of Pork for his District....
wodiej| 6.23.11 @ 7:22AM
Always liked his music even though it was a bit before my time. My Mom used to be a big fan. All the best to him.
Claypoole| 6.23.11 @ 10:22AM
I sometimes wonder, if all the time and resources--both money and brains--that were invested in finding a cure for AIDS had been invested in finding cures for cancer and Alzheimer's, where we would be today in the fight against those diseases. God bless Glen Campbell.
goldwater girl| 6.23.11 @ 11:36AM
I remember riding in the back of a station wagon to Daytona Beach in the late sixties, with my parents and 5 siblings. At the time, my Dad had several 8-track tapes, but he chose to play exactly 3 on the long drive there and back. The artists were Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and Glen Campbell. I'm 51 now, and I still listen to all 3, and my brothers are still fans as well. Although, at the time, the musical choices were a little painful for a 16 hour drive, in later years, I was drawn back to the music of my roots. I wish Glen the best, and thanks for all the great memories.
diskojoe| 6.23.11 @ 11:37AM
Here's a link to a TV performance of Glenn Campbell performing a song called "Guess I'm Dumb" that was written & produced by Brian Wilson for him in 1965:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5OXKRIyaxQ
I remember watching his TV show when I was a kid & appreciated his talent. The best to him.