Glen Campbell

Artist Image: Glen Campbell
Attribution
Image Credit: Capitol Records. This was his recording company at the time. There's a partial ink stamp on back at left showing a portion of the old Capitol logo and the file number 15341. ( photo front photo back), Public domain

Biography

Glen Campbell was born in Billstown, a tiny community near Delight in Pike County, Arkansas. He was the seventh son of 12 children. His father was a sharecropper of Scottish descent. He started playing guitar as a youth without learning to read music. He credits his uncle Boo for teaching him the guitar. In 1954 Campbell moved to Albuquerque to join his uncle’s band known as Dick Bills and the Sandia Mountain Boys. There he also appeared on his uncle’s radio show and on K Circle B Time, the local children's program on KOB television. In 1958 Campbell formed his own band, the Western Wranglers. In 1960, Campbell moved to Los Angeles to become a session musician. Around that time he was part of the group the Champs. Soon Campbell was in great demand as a session musician. He was part of a group of studio musicians that became known as "the Wrecking Crew". During this period he played on recordings by Bobby Darin, Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, The Monkees, Nancy Sinatra, Merle Haggard, Jan and Dean, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Phil Spector. From December 1964 to early March 1965, Campbell was a touring member of the Beach Boys, filling in for Brian Wilson. He also played guitar on the group's Pet Sounds album, among other recordings. On tour, he played bass guitar and sang falsetto harmonies. In 1967 Campbell was the uncredited lead vocalist on "My World Fell Down" by Sagittarius, a studio group. The song reached No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1958
Number of Albums 61
Record Label
Website www.glencampbellshow.com
Wikipedia Glen Campbell on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What television show did Glen Campbell host from 1969 to 1972?

The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour

...series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television from 1969 until 1972. He released 64 alb...
How many albums did Campbell release in a five-decade career?

64

...ampbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television from 1969 until 1972. He released 64 albums in a career that spanned five decades, selling over 45 million rec...
Where was Campbell born?

Billstown, Arkansas

...bums, four platinum albums, and one doubleplatinum album. Born in Billstown, Arkansas , Campbell began his professional career as a studio musician in ...
Campbell began his career as a studio musician in what city?

Los Angeles

...ansas, Campbell began his professional career as a studio musician in Los Angeles , spending several years playing with the group of instrumentalists l...
What group did Campbell play with?

The Wrecking Crew

...al years playing with the group of instrumentalists later known as The Wrecking Crew . In 1967, Campbell won four Grammys in the country and pop catego...
How many Grammys did Campbell win in 1967?

four

...instrumentalists later known as The Wrecking Crew. In 1967, Campbell won four Grammys in the country and pop categories. For Gentle on My Mind, he rec...
How many of Campbell's early hits won Grammy Hall of Fame Awards?

Three

...n country and western; By the Time I Get to Phoenix did the same in pop. Three of his early hits later won Grammy Hall of Fame Awards (2000, 2004, 200...
In what year did Campbell win the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award?

2012

...08), while Campbell himself won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 . He owned trophies for Male Vocalist of the Year from both the Country M...
What award did Campbell receive in 2012?

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

... Awards (2000, 2004, 2008), while Campbell himself won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. He owned trophies for Male Vocalist of the Year ...
Campbell owned trophies for what?

Male Vocalist of the Year

...ammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. He owned trophies for Male Vocalist of the Year from both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy...
What film did Campbell play a supporting role in in 1969?

True Grit

...Entertainer of the Year. Campbell played a supporting role in the film True Grit (1969), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising...
In what year was True Grit released?

1969

...er of the Year. Campbell played a supporting role in the film True Grit ( 1969 ), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer...
What kind of guitars bounced off sweeping strings?

steel

... '70s. Boasting Campbell's smooth vocals and layered arrangements, where steel guitars bounced off sweeping strings, those songs not only became count...
At what age had he begun performing?

14

...n a local church, where he developed his vocal skills. By the time he was 14 , he had begun performing with a number of country bands in the Arkansas, ...
When was he formed his own country band?

18

...exico area, including his uncle's group, the Dick Bills Band. When he was 18 , he formed his own country band, the Western Wranglers, and began touring...
What was the name of Campbell's country band?

Western Wranglers

...ck Bills Band. When he was 18, he formed his own country band, the Western Wranglers , and began touring the South with the group. Four years later, Ca...
What did Campbell become in Los Angeles?

session musician

...ranglers, and began touring the South with the group. Four years later, Campbell moved to Los Angeles, California, where he became a session musician ....
When did Campbell move to Los Angeles?

1960

...ake a living as a session musician in Los Angeles when he moved there in 1960 . In 196465 Campbell joined the Beach Boys to fill in for Brian Wilson, w...
In what year did Campbell join the Beach Boys?

196465

...ng as a session musician in Los Angeles when he moved there in 1960. In 196465 Campbell joined the Beach Boys to fill in for Brian Wilson, who had tak...
Who did Campbell fill in for?

Brian Wilson

...ere in 1960. In 196465 Campbell joined the Beach Boys to fill in for Brian Wilson , who had taken leave after a mental breakdown. Campbell toured with ...
What album did Campbell contribute to?

Pet Sounds

...ral months and contributed to the recording of the breakthrough album Pet Sounds (1966). Campbells solo career began to take off with the hit song Gen...
What song did Campbell release in 1967?

Gentle on My Mind

... (1966). Campbells solo career began to take off with the hit song Gentle on My Mind (1967), which earned him two Grammy Awards that year. He followed...
What album won the Grammy for album of the year?

By the Time I Get to Phoenix

...two Grammy Awards that year. He followed up with the popular By the Time I Get to Phoenix (1967). The title track of that album became one of his best...
When did Campbell have two other major hits?

Wichita Lineman and Galveston

... of the year (1968). Two other major hits from that time are Wichita Lineman and Galveston . From 1969 to 1972 Campbell hosted a Sundayevening televisi...
Who did Campbell welcome to his stage?

Ray Charles, Cher, Neil Diamond, Lily Tomlin, Three Dog Night, and Rick Nelson

...me Hour, on CBS. He welcomed to his stage famous personalities such as Ray Charles, Cher, Neil Diamond, Lily Tomlin, Three Dog Night, and Rick Nelson ....
How much did Glen use to pick a hundred pounds of cotton for?

1.25

...and picked cotton for rich farmersGlen used to pick a hundred pounds for 1.25 . He later said in an interview that even if he worked very hard, he coul...
What was the name of his uncle's band?

Dick Bills and the Sandia Mountain Boys

...tions, and later in a local nightclub. He eventually moved to New Mexico in 1954 and joined his uncle's band, Dick Bills and the Sandia Mountain Boys ....
Where did he move to in 1954?

New Mexico

...adio stations, and later in a local nightclub. He eventually moved to New Mexico in 1954 and joined his uncle's band, Dick Bills and the Sandia Mounta...
What color were Campbells lips when he was pulled from the river?

blue

...His lips were blue when he was pulled from the river and those who rescued him believed he was gone. But he lived miraculously after his brother Lynde...
Who resuscitated Campbell?

his brother Lyndell

...rescued him believed he was gone. But he lived miraculously after his brother Lyndell resuscitated him, and Campbell always suspected it was because o...
What company did Campbells father buy him at the age of four?

Sears & Roebuck

...mpbells father recognized his talent and bought him a 5 guitar from Sears & Roebuck at the age of four. He quickly showed himself to be a prodigy unde...
Campbell was one of the bestselling male artists in what country?

U.S. chart history

...age of his Uncle Boo. One of the bestselling solo male artists in U.S. chart history , Campbell released more than 70 albums, selling 50 million copies...
How many songs did Campbell sell?

50 million copies

...U.S. chart history, Campbell released more than 70 albums, selling 50 million copies with more than 80 songs charting. He won the Country Music Associ...
What award did Campbell win in 2012?

Lifetime Achievement Award

...n 2012, he was bestowed the Grammys most prestigious honor, a Lifetime Achievement Award . Campbell made history in 1967 with his first Grammy wins by ...
What was Campbell's first Grammy win?

1967

...restigious honor, a Lifetime Achievement Award. Campbell made history in 1967 with his first Grammy wins by sweeping the song and performance awards i...
How many country and western trophies did Gentle on My Mind take?

two

...ime I Get to Phoenix won the pop accolades and Gentle on My Mind took the two country and western trophies. The inability to define his sound marks Ca...
Campbells inability to define his sound marks what?

career

...oenix won the pop accolades and Gentle on My Mind took the two country and western trophies. The inability to define his sound marks Campbells career ....
How long did Campbell' s career last?

more than fifty years

...cessful and critically acclaimed entertainer whose career lasted more than fifty years . As a guitarist, Campbell appeared on recordings by a diverse r...
What artists did Campbell appear on?

Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra

...ared on recordings by a diverse range of artists, including Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra . As a singer and solo artist, Campbell sold millions of re...
Campbell sold millions of recordings as a singer and what?

solo artist

...f artists, including Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. As a singer and solo artist , Campbell sold millions of recordings and earned many awards. He als...
How many recordings did Glen Campbell sell?

millions

... Presley and Frank Sinatra. As a singer and solo artist, Campbell sold millions of recordings and earned many awards. He also starred in films and hos...
How many children did Campbell have?

twelve

..., in the Billstown community, near Delight (Pike County). He was one of twelve children born to the farming family of Carrie Dell Stone Campbell and J...
Where did the Campbell family move first?

Houston, Texas

...nces on the local radio station. The Campbell family moved first to Houston, Texas , and then to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where teenaged Campbell began...
How did his voice rank with American music?

most riveting, expressive, and enduring

...nd only sung, his voice would rank with American musics most riveting, expressive, and enduring . He left indelible marks as a musician, a singer, and ...
Where did Campbell move to in his twenties?

West Coast

... western swing band. By his early twenties, Campbell had moved to the West Coast . From October 1960 to May 1961 he toured as lead guitarist for the Ch...
When did Campbell tour as lead guitarist for the Champs?

October 1960 to May 1961

...his early twenties, Campbell had moved to the West Coast. From October 1960 to May 1961 he toured as lead guitarist for the Champs, two years after th...
What was Campbells first pop hit?

Turn Around, Look at Me

...fter they hit with Tequila. His first pop hit came in 1961 with Turn Around, Look at Me on Crest Records. It was the first of Campbells efforts to hit...
How many albums did Champs release?

one

...though he remained largely unknown to the public. The group released only one album, Big Bluegrass Special. During the 1960s he worked with the Beach ...
What was the name of the group's only album?

Big Bluegrass Special

...argely unknown to the public. The group released only one album, Big Bluegrass Special . During the 1960s he worked with the Beach Boys, Bobby Darin, M...
How many of Campbell's songs made it to the top 10 of the Billboard charts?

29

... pop music. About 80 of his songs reached the Billboard and other charts, 29 of which made it to the top 10, and nine of which reached the No. He owne...
Campbell started his career as a songwriter and what other career?

sideman

...es at his theater in Branson. Starting his career as a songwriter and a sideman , Campbell achieved success in the genres of both country and pop music...
How many times did his songs reach the No. 1 spot?

nine

...d the Billboard and other charts, 29 of which made it to the top 10, and nine of which reached the No. He owned trophies for Male Vocalist of the Year...
What year did Campbell win the CMA's Entertainer of the Year award?

1968

...) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM), and took the CMAs top award as 1968 Entertainer of the Year. Campbell played a supporting role in the film T...
How did Campbell earn a Golden Globe nomination for his role in True Grit?

Most Promising Newcomer

...rue Grit (1969), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer . He also sang the title song, which was nominated for an Acade...
What disease caused Glen Travis Campbell to die?

Alzheimer's disease

...s as a crossover star with the No. Following a public battle with Alzheimer's disease , the country music legend died on August 8, 2017, at the age of ...
What was Campbell's family name?

Glen Travis

...try music legend died on August 8, 2017, at the age of 81. Early Life Glen Travis Campbell was born on April 22, 1936, on a family farm between Billst...
Where was Campbell raised?

Arkansas

...orn on April 22, 1936, on a family farm between Billstown and Delight, Arkansas . At the age of 4, his father bought him a 5 Sears and Roebuck guitar; ...
How old was Campbell when his father bought him a guitar?

4

...6, on a family farm between Billstown and Delight, Arkansas. At the age of 4 , his father bought him a 5 Sears and Roebuck guitar; within a few years, ...
What band did Campbell join with his uncle Dick Bills?

Sandia Mountain Boys

...music career. He soon joined his uncle Dick Bills as part of the Sandia Mountain Boys , a band that enjoyed some success out of New Mexico. In 1958, Ca...
What company did Campbell work for?

American Music Company

...eafter, Campbell relocated to Los Angeles. He took a job at the American Music Company , a small publishing house that employed a staff of songwriters....