Glen Campbell

Actor and singer-songwriter Glen Campbell recorded a string of popular country songs throughout the '60s and '70s, and hosted his own variety series of CBS from 1969 to 1972. He has sold 45 million records and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

Fast Facts:

1. Born April 22, 1936 in Delight, Arkansas
2. Record Label: Capitol Records
3. Appeared in True Grit by special request of John Wayne and performed the Oscar-nominated title song
4. 27 songs his the Billboard Top 10
5. Fathered eight children
6. Won Grammys in both pop and country categories in 1967
7. Recorded as session musician with Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, The Monkees and others
8. Played guitar on The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"
9. Avid golfer

Session Musician

Campbell started his music career as a session musician in the late 1950s, part of a group of studio musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew." Many of these musicians, including Campbell, can be heard on Phil Spector's landmark "Wall of Sound" recordings of the early 1960s. In 1964 and '65, he filled in for Brian Wilson on Beach Boys tours.

Solo Career

After recording some of his own songs and releasing them as regional singles, Campbell was signed to Capitol Records in 1962. In 1967, his recording of the John Hartford song "Gentle On My Mind" became a significant hit, essentially launching Campbell's career as a solo artist. He had several popular recordings of Jimmy Webb songs in the late 1960s, including "Wichita Lineman" and "Galveston."

In the 1970s, Campbell recorded a number of Neil Diamond songs, including "Rhinestone Cowboy," which became his best-selling single of all time and provided the name for his 1994 autobiography.

The Goodtime Hour

After serving as a replacement host for The Smothers Brothers on their show, Campbell was given his own weekly variety series, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, which ran from 1969 to 1972. During this time, he also broke into professional acting, appearing in the films True Grit and Norwood, and in a variety of TV shows and movies.

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