The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Country singer Glen Campbell, aged 81
Glen Campbell, the country singer known for his hit Rhinestone Cowboy, has died aged 81.
A statement read: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather and legendary singer and guitarist, Glen Travis Campbell, at the age of 81, following his long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Glen is survived by his wife, Kim Campbell of Nashville, their three children, Cal, Shannon and Ashley; his children from previous marriages, Debby, Kelli, Travis, Kane and Dillon; 10 grandchildren, great- and greatgreat-grandchildren; sisters Barbara, Sandra and Jane; and brothers John Wallace “Shorty” and Gerald.”
In a career spanning six decades, he released more than 70 albums and amassed nine Grammy awards.
And he also made a foray into acting, notably alongside John Wayne in the film True Grit.
Glen Travis Campbell was born in Pike County, Arkansas, on 22 April 1936, the seventh of 12 children.
His big break came in 1967 with the Jimmy Webb song By the Time I Get to Phoenix, which reached number two in the US Country charts.
Campbell’s partnership with Webb was to be a fruitful one, as hit followed hit. Wichita Lineman went to No 1 in the US and also broke him in Britain, where it reached the Top 10 in 1968.
In January 1969 he started hosting his own primetime TV show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.
The show, which ran for three years, made him a huge star and his fame encouraged a glittering roster of stars to appear with him.
In 2005 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 2011 Campbell announced he had been diagnosed with alzheimer’s disease and set off on a farewell tour that included an emotional goodbye at the Grammy Awards in February 2012.