“Some days I’m so confused, Lord. My past gets in my way. I need the ones I love, Lord more and more each day.” These words are from a song called “A Better Place” which is the opening track from the new Glen Campbell CD called “Ghost on the Canvas.”
By now it is common knowledge that Glen Campbell has gone public with the news that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. “A Better Place” is a song that obviously touches on that subject. Glen has let all of his fans know that this record and this tour that he is currently on will be it for him. He will spend his retirement with his wife Kimberly, playing golf and enjoying the company of his many children and grandchildren.
“Ghost on the Canvas,” the seventieth record of Glen’s extraordinary career, is a stunning achievement. Glen’s voice is clear and strong on this ten song disc which is intertwined with six instrumental interludes. Some of these songs will undoubtedly tug at your heartstrings; however there is no self pity to be found anywhere. In fact, the music is very uplifting and optimistic. But still, it is perhaps the most poignant recording since Warren Zevon released “The Wind” back in 2003.
The disc was produced by Julian Raymond who also worked with Glen on his 2008 release called “Meet Glen Campbell.” Others who had a hand in either the songwriting or guitar playing on “Ghost of the Canvas” include Paul Westerberg, Jakob Dylan, Chris Isaak, Rick Nielsen, Brian Setzer, Dick Dale and Billy Corgan. Three of Glen’s children – Cal, Shannon, and Ashley sing on the disc. If fact, all three are prominently featured on the title song video.
Glen Campbell was born in Delight Arkansas on April 22nd, 1936. He grew up in a family with twelve kids and was taught guitar by his Uncle Boo when he was a youngster. (Uncle Boo from Arkansas. You can’t make this stuff up!) He played in a couple of different bands back then including The Western Wranglers before packing his bags and heading out to Los Angeles in 1958. Once in L.A. he had immediate success when he joined the band The Champs who were famous for their hit instrumental “Tequila.”
During the early sixties Glen was consistently working as a session musician playing on numerous pop songs during that era. He also worked as a sideman with musicians as well known as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley, The Righteous Brothers, The Monkees and The Beach Boys. In fact it was his studio work with The Beach Boys that led to a great opportunity when he was picked by the band to replace Brian Wilson for a year long tour. (Brian was never comfortable touring and preferred to stay home composing music.) By now Glen had been signed to Capitol Records and the turning point in his musical career happening in 1967 when he recorded a song written by John Hartford called “Gentle on my Mind.”
The overwhelming success of “Gentle on my Mind” turned Glen Campbell into a star in both country and pop. He soon released a string of hits including “By the time I get to Phoenix,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “Galveston.” By the end of the decade Glen Campbell was the biggest crossover country musician in pop history. And if that wasn’t enough, he was hand picked by John Wayne to co-star in the movie “True Grit” playing the role of LaBoeuf. Shot in 1968, “True Grit” became one of the top grossing movies of 1969 and was eventually re-made in 2010 with Matt Damon playing the same part.
Because of his down home personality, good looks, movie and musical successes, Glen was a regular on the various talk shows. It was very common to see him chatting away with people such as Joey Bishop, the Smothers Brothers, and Johnny Carson. This led to Glen getting his own show called the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour which premiered back in 1969. Soon after that he became the celebrity host of L.A. Open and just his charismatic presence alone was enough to turn that tournament into one of the most popular events on the Professional Golfers Association tour. By now Glen Campbell was a bonafide superstar!
During the seventies Glen had two more monster hits with “Rhinestone Cowboy,” and “Southern Nights.” He’s had his ups and downs but he’s never stopped making records or touring. In 2005 he was finally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He’s won eight Grammy Awards throughout the years and will in fact he will be honored at the 2012 Grammy’s on February 12th. Glen will be joined by Blake Shelton and The Band Perry for a live performance. Just recently he was honored at the County Music Awards show. The tribute included a jam session with contemporary country stars Vince Gill, Keith Urban, and Brad Paisley. It was very touching to see Glen and his wife Kim beaming from the front row while Vince, Keith, and Brad were singing his songs.
So now Glen is in the midst of his farewell tour. He’ll be back at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday February 24th for what will undoubtedly be the last time we will have a chance to see him here in Connecticut. This interview with Glen Campbell was made possible by Bobbie Gale, Jim Walsh and all the other good people at Big Hassle who handle publicity for him. Glen no longer does phone interviews so these questions were sent to him by email. To have Glen Campbell on our cover is an honor for all of us involved with Sound Waves Magazine.
BH - Congratulations on your new record. It must be a great feeling knowing what a critical and commercial success it's become?
GC - "I am very happy with the success of the two albums I have done with Julian Raymond. The projects took a long time, but we wanted to get it right. People seem to enjoy the albums as much as we enjoyed making them. It also shows that the people have good taste in music!"
BH – Some of the songs like “Its Your Amazing Grace,” “Strong,” and “There’s No Me…Without You” sound like you’re singing directly to your wife Kim. Is that how you feel when you sing those particular songs?
GC – “Definitely, I am singing these songs to Kim and I make mention of it on stage.”
BH – I saw the “Ghost on the Canvas” video that featured three of your kids. Will those kids be on tour with you? If so it must be a wonderful feeling to take the stage each night with some of your own children in your band.
GC – “My kids Cal, Shannon, and Ashley are in my band and they are wonderful. I’m so proud of them. They are great musicians. I love having them with me at every show.”
BH – The Beach Boys will be celebrating 50 years together in 2012. I wanted to know if you could share a story about your time with them in the early sixties.
GC – “In 1964 I got a call on a Thursday to come to Dallas on Saturday to play bass guitar and sing high harmonies during a concert as a member of the Beach Boys. I was needed to pinch hit for Brian Wilson. I was asked because I had played with many of the Beach Boys. My first show with the Beach Boys was the first time I had to play bass while singing high harmony. The Beach Boys were the foremost rock and roll band in America and I was flattered, thrilled, humbled, and terrified at being asked to become a Beach Boy, particularly because I had so little advance notice. I toured with them for about a year.”
BH – I’m old enough to remember your television show. Could you also share a story about the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour?
GC – “We had great writers on the show including a young Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, Mason Williams, and McLean Stevenson. We had great guest stars on the show like Flip Wilson, Liberace, Jonathan Winters, Carol Channing, Andy Griffith, Johnny Cash, Bobbie Gentry, Liza Minnelli, Roger Miller, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Ray Charles, Jim Nabors, Kenny Rogers and John Wayne among many others. I became friends with John Wayne and this led me to getting a part in True Grit.”
BH – Also, I’m a big fan of the PGA Tour. I remember all those years where you where the celebrity host of the L.A. Open. Is there a story from those days that you’d like to share?
GC – “When I became the host of the L.A. Open they had no national television and it was played at Rancho Park. It was very hard to get top pros to come and play on a public course. I was able to move the tournament to Riviera Country Club and therefore the top pros like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Lee Trevino came to play. We also got televised on CBS as one of their premier golf tournaments. I am so proud of being able to do that!”
BH – You were recently honored at the Country Music Awards. How does it feel to know how beloved and influential you’ve been to a new generation of country artists?
GC – “It was surreal and a bit embarrassing. But it was very kind of the CMA to do this for me. I was greatly moved by it.”
BH – You’ll be back at the Mohegan Sun on February 24th. I know you’ve been coming there for a number of years now. I even had the privilege of meeting you once at a CD signing. Is the Mohegan Sun a place that you’ve enjoyed coming to and is Connecticut a state that has treated you well throughout the years?
GC – “I’ve always enjoyed performing at the Mohegan Sun. The audiences are great and they are very kind to me. Also, I like Connecticut because it is the home of Ovation Guitars. I’ve been associated with them since they started the company.”
BH – Finally Glen, with all that you’ve done in your life what do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?
GC – “Being able to bring great music written by great songwriters to the world. It’s what I do best, sing and play the guitar.”
“There’s been a load of compromising on the road to my horizon” sang Glen Campbell many years ago in his signature tune “Rhinestone Cowboy.” But as that road comes to an end I remember the final public words of Ronald Reagan when he too was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease: “I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life.” Glen Campbell is beginning that same journey.
Like I mentioned in the interview I had the honor of meeting Glen once. He was signing autographs at Spin Street after one of his Mohegan Sun shows back in 2007. It was the only time I ever went out of my way to get someone’s autograph. Glen signed my copies of “The Very Best of Glen Campbell” which is a CD I’ve owned since it first came out on Capitol Records back in 1987. The other disc he signed was “Glen Campbell in Concert with the South Dakota Symphony.” This was a disc recorded for a PBS special back in 2001. I’ve been listening to both discs, along with the new one, quite a bit lately.
I can’t even begin to imagine the emotions so many of us will be feeling during Glen’s show on February 24th at the Mohegan Sun. What will he open with? What will he close with? What will the encore be? What will he say to the audience? How will the audience respond?
I only hope to see a day many years from now when some or all of Glen’s kids have their own bands. I can already see them up on stage singing their dad’s songs and sharing stories about him.