Glen bows out

'Rhinestone Cowboy'legend was 81

Music legend Glen Campbell — who sang about struggling for success in his 1975 hit “Rhinestone Cowboy” and in recent years became the brave face of Alzheimer’s victims — died Tuesday. He was 81. The six-time Grammy winner passed away in Nashville “following his long and courageous battle” with the memory-sapping disease, his family said in a statement. During his six-decade career, the Arkansas-born Campbell scored 19 Top 40 hits, including his No. 1 smashes “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Southern Nights.” His other hits included “Galveston,” “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” “Wichita Lineman” and “Gentle On My Mind.” In 2011, Campbell went public about his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than retreat into privacy, Camp- bell went on a year-long farewell tour that became the basis for the 2014 documentary “I’ll Be Me.”

After the tour, he recorded his 64th and final studio album, “Adios,” which was released in June.

He was recalled fondly Tuesday by fellow music legends.

“Glen is one of the greatest voices there ever was in the business and he was one of the greatest musicians,” said Dolly Parton. “He was a wonderful session musician as well . . . He could play anything and he could play it really well.”

His popularity, which spread wide beyond the world of country and pop music, led to him earn about 50 million weekly viewers between 1969 and 1972 for his CBS variety show “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.”

Campbell’s performance of the title song of the 1969 John Wayne classic “True Grit,” in which Campbell played a Texas Ranger, earned him an Academy Award nomination.

He is survived by his fourth wife, Kim, and five sons and three daughters, born between 1956 and 1986.