Glen Campbell 'Rhinestone Cowboy' Singer Dead at 81
Glen Campbell -- legendary country music singer best known for his 1975 hit, "Rhinestone Cowboy" -- has died after a long battle with Alzheimer's ... TMZ has learned.
Campbell died Tuesday around 10 AM in a Nashville facility for Alzheimer's patients ... according to a source close to his family.
The musician released more than 70 albums over a 50-year career, and had a series of hits in the '60s and '70s including "Gentle on My Mind," "Wichita Lineman," "Galveston," "Country Boy" and his best-selling single, "Rhinestone Cowboy."
Glen made history in 1967 by winning 4 Grammys in the country and pop categories, and took home CMA's Entertainer of the Year award in 1968.
Campbell was also an actor and TV host who starred in the variety show, "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" on CBS from 1969-1972. The 2014 documentary "I'll Be Me" documented Glen's farewell tour and struggle with his Alzheimer's diagnosis.
He's survived by his wife, Kim Campbell, and 8 children. Kim's scheduled to speak at The Alzheimer's Alliance of Smith County luncheon in Tyler, Texas in November about the challenges faced by people living with the disease and their families.
REbr0 on August 8th, 2017 at 20:58 UTC »
What a tragedy. Here's my obligatory submission of best Glen Campbell song with a bit of backstory.
When Glen was trying to break out on his own after being a guitarist in the Wrecking Crew for a few years, he sort of struggled to record a radio hit.
One of his best friends and biggest supporters was none other than Brian Wilson. Brian had worked with Glen when the Beach Boys worked with the Wrecking Crew. The two got closer, and Brian started including Glen on more Beach Boys projects.
1964-1965 was a bad time for Brian Wilson. He suffered a mental breakdown and had to stop touring with the Beach Boys. Glen Campbell, who was already playing gigs with the Beach Boys as a backup guitarist, was Brian's first choice as a stand-in. He finished out the tour with the Beach Boys, essentially saving them from what otherwise would've been a disaster.
After the Beach Boys' tour had ended, as a token of his gratitude, Brian Wilson gave Glen a Beach Boys song to record and release as his own.
This song is Guess I'm Dumb.
Guess I'm Dumb is one of the most beautiful songs of the era, and a testament to the talent that Glen Campbell possessed. The Beach Boys had written off the song as another flight of fancy by Brian, so it's funny to think that were it not for Glen's willingness to help a friend in need, we wouldn't have one of rock's greatest ballads.
Take some time to listen to Glen today. He was better than the world deserved.
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LostSoulsAlliance on August 8th, 2017 at 20:58 UTC »
The recent NetFlix documentary "I'll Be Me" covered his last tour. A very bittersweet watch, because you see how amazingly talented he was and what an amazing musician and entertainer he was. In the documentary he is starting to struggle with his Alzheimer's, but despite not knowing where he was and forgetting a lot of his daily-life stuff, when he got onstage and started playing it's like it all came back to him.
Until toward the end of the tour, then even that was lost to him and it was so sad to see, especially the impact to his wife and kids. As hard as it is to say, I'm sure in a way it is a relief to his family and him for Glenn to pass on after suffering the effects so much.
The title of the documentary still brings me nearly to tears, because "I'll Be Me" seems so defiant toward Alzheimer's, but it still gets you in the end.
Stratospheros on August 8th, 2017 at 20:45 UTC »
And I need you more than want you.
And I want you for all time.