He's a little further back than we usually go, but his popularity, talent and influence brings him forward to here. If you know about Glen Campbell then you should consider yourself lucky.  And If you're too young to know him, the first thing to know is he is the kind of star we really don't have anymore.  I'm not stating he's better than today's stars, he was just different and did everything very well that you can do in entertainment for a very long period of time. In some ways I liken him and you could compare him to Vince Gill as he was an original with his own style, talent and likeability.  And like Vince, he was a true Mega Star.  And like Vince again, I could've seen him filling in with the Eagles.   I played his music on the radio for many years, years ago.

Huge Hit  - And Theme To His TV Show

First off, entertainment itself then was very different.  TV was the biggest of deals then and he had his own TV variety show. He was also on everyone else's show every week as the weekly variety show was king.  He was a very popular concert act, he was a country music star, a pop singer, and an absolute world class guitar player as he played with everyone including the Beach Boys and about every other big star and group.  He made many movies, and granted he was not the best of actors, but he was in the original True Grit with John Wayne in a major role. He was a do it all performer without question.  And for the most part that -  is extinct to the degree that he did it.

Huge Hit - Since Recorded By Dozens Of Artists

The music he recorded was incredible.  He had without question the best songwriters on the planet writing songs for him personally.  John Hartford, Jimmy Webb and others, (Google them). Campbell then recorded these songs and developed pretty much his own category of music, that had big success on the country and pop charts.  He was a performer that had immense universal appeal and seemingly everyone loved him. Campbell's recording career spanned many years and through many phases of country being immune to the trends of certain eras.  No matter what style was in fashion, he recorded Glen Campbell songs.

Considered One Of The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded - Been Recorded Hundreds Of Times

Many of his songs did what great songs do. They put a person in a place for a reason and it was open for your interpretation.  The songs he was getting were insanely visual and that is the definition of a well written song. His beyond incredible many octave range was very rare and also meant most songs were available to him.  Many of his biggest songs are enshrined in various National Libraries and National Archives forever.  Wichita Lineman is one of the most decorated songs ever for any kind of music, and it actually started country to shift to a new more mainstream direction. (Check Out My Favorites On This #6) . And Gentle On My Mind is one of the most loved written songs ever, as it was his theme song, it's also a lyrical masterpiece.

Hit Songs Don't Get Much Bigger Than This

His guitar playing is legendary and his performing was too.  Even at the end of his life with Alzheimer's taking over his mind, he performed concerts till the very end as his daughter was on stage guiding him through, as he could still remember the music.  He was a truly remarkable talent, and an international star in every regard.  Campbell won 10 Grammy's, 10 ACM's, 3 CMA's, 3 AMA's, 3 Dove Awards, he is in every hall of fame there is, and charted 82 singles, from 64 albums that sold 80 million copies.

Big Song #1

Glen Campbell did so much more than we can write about here. Yes, he also dated Tanya Tucker and that made tabloids.  But he was one of the biggest, most influential singers in country and pop music history and his legacy is simply amazing.  Campbell died in 2017 at the age of 81.

From A Different Time - Still A Loved Song

And you thought all he did was sing Rhinestone Cowboy.

Powerful Song #1

The Guitarists Series - Part 2

Incredible Guitar With Steve Wariner