My legacy from dad is to love
ASHLEY Campbell always knew her career would be cast in the mighty shadow of her Rhinestone Cowboy country legend dad Glen.
She admitted: “It would be crazy indeed to think I could ever be who he was. But I know that I can be the greatest version of me the world has ever seen. His influence is a gift, not a burden.”
After playing with her late father on his farewell tours in 2010 and 2011, and helping nurse him through Alzheimer’s disease until his death in 2017, Ashley, 33, proved a talent in her own right with her 2018 debut album The Lonely One.
Now, with the follow-up Something Lovely, her banjo plucking and songster skills keep the family flag flying high.
She said: “In Nashville, it’s easy to get preoccupied worrying about what ‘other people’ want to hear. It takes time and growth to realise that is how art dies.
“I listened to advice from my dad that has stuck with me all these years – make something that you love.
“This album is me just being me. I truly but if not, at least I do.” Ashley, Campbell’s youngest child with fourth wife Kimberly Woollen, started out performing improvisational comedy. She said: “Dad enjoyed my shows with my university improv group. But we had to keep those clean. I didn’t invite him to any of my shows in Hollywood though, because he wouldn’t have been able to sit through the cursing.” On her dad’s final tours, she saw how momentarily engagement his allowed music him with to kept overcome She him added: with his “Music us illness. a longer. part “He of could It who was have so he deeply was. no idea happened what just 30 minutes ago stage and and then nail walk Gentle on On My Mind.” Ashley doesn’t follow her dad’s Republican political views and is prepared to take whatever consequences come of her opposition to Trump. She said: “I hope very much that the US can some day have a leader worthy of respect.” ● Ashley Campbell’s Something Lovely is out now.