Remembering the Rhinestone Cowboy
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
August 14, 2017, Issue 563 Remembering The Rhinestone Cowboy When Country Music Hall of Famer Glen Campbell died Tuesday (8/8) after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease, he left a legacy of timeless classics and legions of fans. But to many inside the music industry, he was more than just a beloved superstar. Country Aircheck spoke with former associates about his humor, kind- ness and generosity. TKO Artist Management’s T.K. Kim- brell signed Campbell to his roster two years ago, taking over at the request of Campbell’s manager of more than 50 years, Stan Schneider. But Kimbrell’s rela- Glen Campbell tionship with Campbell already spanned decades. In 1981 while touring as Steve I’m Ready To Play: BMLG Records’ Florida Georgia Line (Tyler Wariner’s bass player, a 25-year-old Kimbrell got to jam with his Hubbard and Brian Kelley) onstage in Chicago’s Wrigley Field hero after a show in Cleveland, and a friendship was born. with Live Nation’s Brian O’Connell (c). See another big crowd Glen always remembered meeting me that night and some on page 9. of the ‘country’ jokes I told. He had heard every joke in the world. But I had some old country stories and he remembered those every Glen was funny. He had a great sense of humor. He and time I saw him. Toby [Keith] got a big kick out of each other. The last time Toby was I grew up watching him on TV [The Glen Campbell Good- around Glen, Toby had on a big pair of biker boots. He’d come time Hour]. He was himself on that show. The first time I was ever from a truck commercial shoot and was still “in uniform.” Glen around him, I felt like I’d known him my whole life. He had a way. looked at those biker boots and said, “Toby, how long did the doc- That’s why he was such a big TV star, in addition to his singing and tor say you had to wear those?” playing. Man, the entire world was mesmerized by his personality, – like they were corrective shoes. his down-home charm and his good looks. He always talked about When I started playing the power of TV. I think he wondered just how big “Gentle On My golf in the early ‘90s we became Mind,” “Galveston” and “Wichita Lineman” would’ve been without even closer, because he loved the power of TV. And they would’ve been huge. But seeing him golf. To get to spend three or four interacting on that show weekly ... and keep in mind, back then hours with him on the golf course there were three channels. There were 60 or 70 million people a was a real pleasure. There were week watching his show. Kimbrell and Campbell times when he was a scratch golf- I asked him one time, what was the secret to his success. He er. He always hit the ball really said, “I could always do what people asked me to do.” Whether it well. He had a great short game. And he’s one of the best putters was Phil Spector or Jimmy Bowen asking him to play a certain way, I’ve ever seen. Everything he did, he did it good. or Stan asking him to do this or that. Glen wasn’t afraid to work Glen had all the talent in the world. But from watching him, and do what [his team] felt was best. I learned how important it is to be nice to people. One day after ©2017 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] August 14, 2017 Page 3 Steve [Wariner] and Glen had recorded “The Hand That Rocks My life’s a whole lot better because I crossed paths with The Cradle,” we all went out to eat. He picked up the check him. My own father passed the same way and I used to say the and said, “I always put a good tip on checks – and I tell all my same thing about him. My dad was my favorite person I’ve ever people to do that, too. My name is on the credit card and I want come into contact with – and Glen reminded me of my dad, in the to treat people right. Things have been good for me.” That’s the dignity with which he dealt with [Alzheimer’s]. My heart goes to kind of guy he was. and will stay with Kim and the kids during this time. I want him to be remembered as a great family man. In Marty Gamblin spent more than 20 years running publishing the documentary I’ll Be Me, he said he was going to give Alzhei- company Glen Campbell Music as well as GC Management. mer’s a right hook. And he did. He fought a great fight. But let’s Glen absolutely loved listening to songs, particularly if face it, if not for his talent, we’d have never known what a family they were pretty rough demos. The worst thing was to pitch him a man he was, or how hard he fought this disease. fully produced record. I’ll never forget when Jimmy Webb sent me Like Kimbrell, Mississippi songwriter/guitarist Mac McAnally “Still Within The Sound Of My Voice.” After Glen and Keith Stegall first met the Arkansas superstar back in the ‘80s and the two found heard it, we took a kinship in their southern backgrounds. Years later, they recon- it over to Jimmy nected via mutual friends Kimbrell and Wariner. Bowen’s house. He had that larger-than-life thing, like Johnny Cash He was pro- had. You don’t cultivate that; you just have it. And in addition, he ducing Glen at had an inordinate amount the time. Jimmy of talent. It probably could said, “Glen, if have gone to a whole county you can come of people somewhere, but it up with an ar- all went to Glen Campbell rangement that instead. And he made really doesn’t tie up my good use of it. studio musicians In my life, I’ve proba- all day, we’ll do bly been over-appreciated it.” Glen loved Gamblin, Gene Autry, Campbell sometimes for what I’ve done. that kind of chal- Campbell and McAnally Over-honored a time or two. lenge – taking a But when somebody you have complex song and making it sound simple. a high regard for brags on He gave me total autonomy to run the company, but the one you, it really means something. One night Glen and I were sitting thing he asked was that we keep the door open for aspiring writers, in T.K.’s living room and I sang my song “Back Where I Come singers and musicians as long as it was legally possible. Eventually, From.” Glen jumped in and sang a harmony part over the top of lawsuits made accepting unsolicited material impossible, but we were it. At the end of the song, he put his hand on my shoulder and one of the last companies to stop doing that. Glen knew that if people said, “Son, that is good with five ‘Os’!” That meant a lot – and it hadn’t taken the time to help him along the way he wouldn’t have been means a lot, still. blessed with the career he had. That was his way of paying it forward. Glen would encourage anybody. They didn’t have to be any- One time he was listening in during a recording session where close to his level – because not many people are. He taught and during a break he said to the musicians, “You guys are amaz- me how to appreciate our gifts and the possibilities we have for ing! You have more talent in your whole body than I’ve got in my using them. You shouldn’t be embarrassed about having them. I’m little finger.” They started saying, “Wow, Glen, that’s so nice ...” a lot more bashful than Glen was. Watching how easily he’d jump until they realized what he really said. He just started laughing. He in and play a solo or sing with anybody – I’ve always been a little loved to make people laugh. more tiptoe-y about that. But a gift is to be shared. And he shared He could be as dignified as anyone with presidents and his gifts with anybody who was in the room with him, or who was royalty, but was always the humble, good ole boy son of Wes and near a TV or radio. He taught me that, and hopefully I’m going to Carrie Campbell from Billstown, AR. That’s what I loved most be a little more like him for the rest of my days. about him. ©2017 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] August 14, 2017 Page 5 MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE Former Capitol promotion exec Bill Catino knew Campbell through working with Bowen, who ran Capitol for a time. Radio vet Nada Taha discusses her most Glen was always a gentleman and a very witty character. One morn- influential music: ing on our way into a meeting with Bowen at Sound Stage we detected 1. Fleetwood Mac: I give credit to my old a strong odor in the room, but no one wanted to say anything.