09 August 2017

Glen Campbell

The world's media (including Bluegrass Today) are carrying the sad news that multi-talented, multi-award-winning Glen Travis Campbell died yesterday at the age of 81. His success as a performing and recording artist followed a thriving career as a session musician: in the early 1960s, for instance, he was the guitarist on a dobro LP by Tut Taylor.

His 'Rhinestone cowboy' hit led one journalist to write (with apparent approval) that he had brought country music away from the image of gingham dresses and banjos - in fact, Glen Campbell brought a succession of outstanding banjo players (John Hartford, Larry McNeely, Carl Jackson) before the mass audience for his 'Goodtime hour' TV show. The Bluegrass Today feature includes a video of Campbell and McNeely doing a blistering one-minute version of Don Reno's 'Dixie breakdown'.

Not only did Glen Campbell pick banjo himself (see photo above) - his daughter Ashley took up the 5-string on her own initiative in 2008 and has since been accompanying her father in stage shows (see this 2012 BT feature).

Update 10 Aug.: Tributes to Glen Campbell from Ricky Skaggs and other members of the country and bluegrass music communities can be read on the Prescription Bluegrass Blog.

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3 Comments:

At 7:08 pm, Blogger rynasafitri said...

I'm not worth it but this only my tribute to keep him gentle on my mind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCDti24Uras

 
At 5:52 pm, Blogger Unknown said...

What type of Banjo did Glen own?

 
At 4:52 pm, Blogger Richard Hawkins said...

We've no information on this at present; perhaps a BIB reader who's also on Banjo Hangout could research it? Unfortunately, photos showing Glen playing banjo don't guarantee that the banjo shown was his own.

BIB editor

 

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