Glen Campbell
Campbell was born in Delight, Arkansas, and by the age of six was
playing guitar in his uncle's Western group. In 1960 Glen and his
wife moved to California, where he played in a number of rock groups
and became a sought-after session guitarist, working with Elvis
Presley, Rick Nelson and many others.
In 1961 he scored his first solo success as a singer on the Country
& Western charts with Turn Around Look At Me, but it was
not until 1967 and Gentle On My Mind that Glen became a big
name. Turning down the job of replacing Brian Wilson in The Beach Boys
(with whom he did record and tour), he went on to have hits with By
The Time I Get To Phoenix, Wichita Lineman, Galveston
and a revival of All I Have To Do Is Dream with Bobbie
Gentry.
By 1969 Campbell was caught in a sucking vacuum of easy listening.
Ironically, he was also flirting with multiple addictions (booze,
prescription drugs and cocaine) and only 1974's Reunion was
ever to feed his more discerning fans again.
Somehow, though, Campbell has always managed to be simultaneously
hip and easy listening, country and pop, singing about being a
hard-loving rambling man despite his saccharine image and
crisper-than-starch side-parting.
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