Logo

Logo

Glen Campbell: ‘An incredible musician and an even better person’

I've been walkin' these streets so long… Singin' the same old song… And nice guys get washed away like the…

Glen Campbell: ‘An incredible musician and an even better person’

Glen Campbell (PHOTO: Facebook)

I've been walkin' these streets so long… Singin' the same old song… And nice guys get washed away like the snow and the rain… But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me

Sure indeed, the 'Rhinestone Cowboy', who shone with his songs and music is now where the lights are shining on him.

Glen Campbell, who walked into the music world with a guitar at an early age of four, is now no more.

Advertisement

Mourning the death of one of the greatest voices in the music world, many took to social media platforms to express their sorrow and pay tribute to him.

"Extremely sad to hear that Glen Campbell has passed away. My prayers and thoughts go out to him and his family," country music star Blake Shelton tweeted.

Born in 1936 in Delight, Arkansas, the US country singer left the world after a long battle with Alzheimer's. He was diagnosed with the disease in June 2011 and died in Nashville on Tuesday, his family announced in a statement.

"Glen Campbell was one of the greatest voices of all time. I will always love you, Glen!" Dolly Parton tweeted. 

One of 12 children, he was led by music and started out with his own group, the Western Wranglers at the age of 20. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked with big names like Elvis Presley, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.

"I'm very broken up to hear about my friend Glen Campbell. An incredible musician and an even better person. I'm at a loss. Love & Mercy," tweeted Brian Wilson.

Campbell replaced Brian Wilson when the latter had a nervous breakdown in 1964. Campbell played for the Beach Boys for a while.

"…one of the greatest voices there ever was in the business and one of the greatest musicians," as Dolly Parton says in her video tribute to him on Twitter, Campbell won the hearts of many with his voice and music.

Following his popular show on CBS  – Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour – and his hit songs, including Gentle On My Mind, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Rhinestone Cowboy, Southern Nights and Wichita Lineman, the singer shot to international fame in the 60's and 70's. He won several awards from ACM and CMA and in 2005, entered the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Campbell also won five Grammys, including one for lifetime achievement and the song I'm Not Gonna Miss You won a Grammy for best country song in 2015

 All in all, he released 70 albums, including 12 gold albums, and sold over 45 million records, with 75 chart hits. His Rhinestone Cowboy and Southern Nights topped the chart. In the 1990s, Campbell also recorded a series of gospel CDs.

Apart from music and television shows, Campbell also worked in movies, His first movie was True Grit released in 1969.

In 2011, his last album Ghost on the Canvas, a collection of his original songs, was released, while his last record Adios was released in June. Songs in Adios included tunes made famous by Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt and Johnny Cash. And, a documentary on his 2011-12 farewell tour – "Glen Campbell … I'll Be Me" directed by James Keach was released in 2014.

The musician is survived by his wife, Kim and children–Cal, Shannon, Ashley, Debby, Kelli, Travis, Kane and Dillon. He was 81. Campbell, perhaps, is now singing new songs where the lights are shining on him.

Advertisement