For the record, Glen Campbell has had hits on all major Billboard charts. Born in 1936 and active in the business since 1958, his entertainment career spans more than 50 years. The awards section of his Wikipedia page includes multiple wins from the ACM, AMA, CMA, and GMA. On top of that, he's scored 9 Grammys including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
He pinch hit for Brian Wilson in The Beach Boys, hosted multiple variety shows on TV, and spent time on the big screen with one of my all time heroes, John Wayne, in True Grit.
The bottom line is while you may not be a big fan of his preferred genre, you cannot deny the man has chops.
Arguably, his biggest hit was, of course, "Rhinestone Cowboy". I remember hearing it for the first time off a 45 RPM at a friend's house when I was six years old. As soon as the song ended I immediately wanted to hear it again. Apparently, so did a lot of other people. Its theme of personal perseverance and belief in one's dreams became an American anthem. "Rhinestone Cowboy" achieved "gold" status and earned Campbell a few of the awards mentioned earlier. The song's association with him was so great that "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Glen Campbell" became synonymous.
In June 2011, Campbell announced he was battling Alzheimer's, and, rather than recede quietly from the limelight, went on a farewell tour. In April of this year, he became a long-term patient at an Alzheimer's care facility. Just a few days ago, he released what will likely be the last song he will record. "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" tells of his struggles with his disease and is a personal, poignant farewell to his family, friends, and fans.
Thank you, Cowboy, for my childhood memories and for sharing your life and music with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment