Glen Campbell arrives at the 2012 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 6, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee.
A who's who of music and entertainment - from Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift and Vince Gill to Bill Clinton, Bruce Springsteen, Jay Leno, Jimmy Webb, Paul McCartney, Steve Martin, and U2's the Edge are all featured in the project, talking about Campbell and his influence.
The 78-year-old singer was one of 12 children born to Wesley Campbell, a sharecropper, and Carrie Dell. As a child, he was already getting gigs and was performing guest spots on local radio stations. At 16, he dropped out of school and moved out West, where he played with bands in Wyoming's bars and roadhouses. In his early 20s, he moved to California and went to work for American Music Company, a small publishing house that employed a staff of songwriters. At 24, his single, "Turn Around, Look at Me," caught the attention of Capitol Records and got him a contract with the label. He started working with artists like Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Merle Haggard, the Monkees, Nat King Cole, and the Righteous Brothers.
The Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year in the late 60s crossed into TV co-hosting The Summer Smothers Brothers Show which led him to the offer of his own show, The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour. The success of his variety show in the U.S. and the U.K. helped Campbell add film to his resume as he debuted on the big screen opposite John Wayne in 1969's True Grit.
Music was still foremost in his heart and the success of his #1 singles, "Rhinestone Cowboy" in 1975 and "Southern Nights" in 1977 crossed him over into the American Top 40 market.
After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2011, Campbell decided to record a final album and tour one more time before the disease took him off of the stage. Ghost on the Canvas and the supporting tour was a fitting farewell and in April 2013, the legend retired. See You There, a reimagining of his mega-hits like "Wichita Lineman" and "Rhinestone Cowboy," was released in August 2013.
