Posted on 09/06/2011 9:48:28 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Glen Campbell, who has Alzheimers, has released a superb 'final' album at the age of 75.
Ghost on the Canvas is Glen Campbells album of a lifetime...literally.
The stunning set, out Aug. 30, reflects on the multiple Grammy winners career and times often through the prism of his life-altering diagnosis of Alzheimers Disease. The 75-year old announced he had the disease earlier this year and that Ghost on the Canvas would be his final album. He starts a goodbye tour later this fall.
Without ever skirting the dire future he now faces, Campbell and producer/co-writer Julian Raymond, have made a poignant, often breathtakingly vulnerable album that never wallows in pity, and despite its very strong profession of faith, never seems pollyanna-ish. Its Campbells equivalent of Johnny Cash/Rick Rubins American Recordings. Even if youre too young to have ever given Glen Campbell a second thought, Ghost On the Canvas is worth every repeated listen and, in fact, should be a Grammy contender for album of the year.
On album opener A Better Place Campbell sings Sometimes Im so confused Lord, my past gets in my way. I need the ones I love, Lord, more and more each day.
On Strong, he accepts his fate. This is not the road I wanted for us, but now that its here, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. All I want to be for you is strong, he sings to his wife, calling himself a broken prize.
The albums most autobiographical track, A Thousand Lifetimes, he sings, Ive held onto coal in my bare hands, praying for diamonds/I trusted in the words that to my face turned out were lying...each breath I take is a gift that I will never take for granted.
Though Campbell disappeared from pop radio decades agohis last hit was 1977s massively successful Southern Nights, penned by Allen Toussaint, there was a time when he ruled the TV and radio airwaves. In the late 60s, he was one of musics biggest superstars at both pop and country, churning out hit after hit, including such priceless Jimmy Webb-penned tunes as Wichita Lineman, By the Time I Get To Phoenix, and Galveston.
The solo success came after Campbells turn as a member of the legendary band of studio musicians known as the Wrecking Crew. Among the tunes he played guitar on in and out of that star-studded assemblagewere Frank Sinatras Strangers In the Night, Elvis Presleys Viva Las Vegas, The Righteous Brothers Youve Lost That Loving Feelin, and The Beach Boys Pet Sounds. He even toured with the Beach Boys, filling in for Brian Wilson.
After Southern Nights success, his career began to fall off and he very publicly battled alcoholic and drug addictions, but, like Cash, returned again and again to his faith to sustain him. In 2008, he released Meet Glen Campbell, his first album in 15 years. Produced by Raymond, the critically acclaimed album included covers of tunes from U2, Tom Petty and Green Day among others.
Just as Ghost on the Canvas reflects on Campbells life lyrically, Raymond has cleverly, but not overly cutely, referenced past Campbell songs, such as Wichita Lineman on A Thousand Lifetimes, or even Gentle On My Mind on the title track. Sonically throughout the album falls straight down the pop-country line that made Campbell so appealing to millions originally. Its simple production, appealingly bolstered by the occasional strings, places the focus squarely on Campbells still resonant voice and his astonishingly vibrant finger-picking guitar style.
Though Campbell and Raymond wrote the bulk of the set, Raymond collected a few from some of his songwriting buddies, including The Replacements' Paul Westerberg, who penned the title track. Campbell makes these tunes completely his own, perhaps none more so than Teddy Thompsons rollicking In My Arms, and with the help of fellow guitar slingers Chris Isaak, Dick Dale and Brian Seltzer, turns it into an irrepressibly catchy surf-flavored shoot out.
On Jakob Dylans simple, gorgeous Nothing But The Whole Wide World, Campbell canvases his life and his faith, plainly singing God wants us busy, never giving up/He wants nothing but the whole world for us with the faith of a child. (Dylan wrote the track for Campbell, but since Ghost took more than two years to make, Dylan recorded it for his 2010 album, Women & Country in fact, his albums title comes from this song). Guided By Voices Robert Pollard contributed "Hold On Hope," a tune that first appeared on GBV's 1999 album, "Do The Collapse."
There are a number of interstitial short instrumentals that tie the songs together, such as the sensational, riding-off-into the-sunset coda Valley of the Son, that link Hold On Hope and Westerbergs other contribution Any Trouble together or the calliope in Second Street North that bridges Its Your Amazing Grace and In My Arms.
The album closes with Theres No Me... Without You. Almost four minutes of the six-minute plus track are instrumental, as Campbell and Billy Corgan, Cheap Tricks Rick Nielsen, Marty Rifkin and Brian Setzer twist and gently bring the musical trip to an end, as Campbell lets his guitar get the last word.
compelling.
Yes, there is much in Scottish history like that.
Some of my ancestors claimed Scott/Irish origin, but we have no evidence of that. Prior to Texas they were in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
Other of my ancestors were born in TX during the Republic.
I like that one, too. It's a great football song.
Glen is playing up here soon at the local Indian casino... i have a friend who is helping to coordinate with the show who said the tour may be in doubt. Glen’s wife called to report he is having difficulties in doing the basics in life, like finding the bathroom... Sad.
I hope he is able to do the tour as I would really love to see him do his goodbye show.
Date | Location | Venue |
---|---|---|
02011-08-31 August 31, 2011 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | CNE Bandshell |
02011-09-02 September 2, 2011 | Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada | Casino New Brunswick |
02011-09-09 September 9, 2011 | St. Charles, Missouri, United States | The Bezemes Family Theatre |
02011-09-10 September 10, 2011 | Forrest City, Arkansas, United States | East Arkansas Community College |
02011-09-15 September 15, 2011 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | University of Pennsylvania, Irvine Auditorium |
02011-09-17 September 17, 2011 | Renfro Valley, Kentucky, United States | Renfro Valley Entertainment Center |
02011-10-13 October 13, 2011 | Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, United States | Kewadin Casino, Dreammaker Theatre |
02011-10-15 October 15, 2011 | Carlton, Minnesota, United States | Black Bear Casino Resort |
02011-10-21 October 21, 2011 | Salford, England, United Kingdom | The Lowry |
02011-10-22 October 22, 2011 | London, England, United Kingdom | Royal Festival Hall |
02011-10-23 October 23, 2011 | Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom | St. David's Hall |
02011-10-24 October 24, 2011 | Northampton, England, United Kingdom | Royal Derngate Theatre |
02011-10-25 October 25, 2011 | Liverpool, England, United Kingdom | Liverpool Philharmonic Hall |
02011-10-26 October 26, 2011 | Nottingham, England, United Kingdom | Nottingham Royal Concert Hall |
02011-10-28 October 28, 2011 | York, England, United Kingdom | York Barbican |
02011-10-29 October 29, 2011 | Newcastle, England, United Kingdom | Newcastle City Hall |
02011-10-30 October 30, 2011 | Basingstoke, England, United Kingdom | The Anvil |
02011-11-01 November 1, 2011 | Plymouth, England, United Kingdom | Plymouth Pavilions |
02011-11-02 November 2, 2011 | Bristol, England, United Kingdom | Colston Hall |
02011-11-03 November 3, 2011 | Brighton, England, United Kingdom | Brighton Dome |
02011-11-04 November 4, 2011 | Guildford, England, United Kingdom | G-Live |
02011-11-05 November 5, 2011 | Southend-on-Sea, England, United Kingdom | Cliffs Pavilion |
02011-11-06 November 6, 2011 | Birmingham, England, United Kingdom | Birmingham Symphony Hall |
02011-11-11 November 11, 2011 | Dublin, Ireland | Convention Centre Dublin |
02011-11-12 November 12, 2011 | Killarney, Ireland | The INEC |
02011-11-13 November 13, 2011 | Castlebar, Ireland | The Royal Theatre and Events Center |
02011-12-02 December 2, 2011 | Branson, Missouri, United States | Tri Lakes Center |
02011-12-03 December 3, 2011 | Branson, Missouri, United States | Tri Lakes Center |
02011-12-08 December 8, 2011 | Wausau, Wisconsin, United States | Grand Theater |
02011-12-11 December 11, 2011 | Huntington, West Virginia, United States | Keith Albee Performing Arts Center |
02011-12-16 December 16, 2011 | French Lick, Indiana, United States | French Lick Resort Casino |
Check out the venues Glen is playing in the U.S. and those overseas. Looks like a bit of a disparity to me.
In the summer of ‘09 while heading to see Crater of Diamonds State Park in rural Arkansas, we passed through tiny little Delight.....complete with it’s weathered “Birthplace of Glen Campbell” signage.
It seems unfair to me that his family has set up this tour when he is in such poor condition. Just because he may want to do it does not mean he should do it.
“Show Me Your Way” from 1991 was a great CD from Mr. Campbell. Lots of good songs and help from Russ Taff, Ann Murray and Kelly Nelon Thompson. Although it may not have been a big seller, I am surprised the author of the article did not mention this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOHy678Pro
How was your trip to the diamond mine? I’ve always wanted to do that.
Wifey was wearing white pants and white flip-flops, so when we got to the very muddy (rain the previous night) diamond field our excavation plans got pretty much aborted.
Yesterday I sent this link to my brother....he came back with the comment that as-yet unknown Glen Campbell had been the entertainer at their 1963 high school graduation banquet in the Los Angeles area......it was shortly thereafter that he started getting recognition and “real” gigs.
Late response on my part, but Campbell also plays the banjo — he played the banjo part of the banjo/bass harmonica solo on “I Know There’s an Answer” off of “Pet Sounds.”
That is a beautiful song.
And "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" was one of the first songs I learned to play on the guitar.
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