Bidding adieu to the Rhinestone Cowboy
Glen Campbell played in Milwaukee this past weekend as part of his farewell tour. I was sorry to have missed it.
Long before I knew Campbell had serious cred via his membership in "The Wrecking Crew" band of studio musicians – among other things – I knew Campbell from hearing his Top 40 hits waft over into the back seat of the family station wagon from the speakers of the AM radio.
Campbell was a player in a major moment of my musical life. Just as I was about to really get into rock and roll in a big way, via the Beatles and KISS and Led Zeppelin and Stevie Wonder, I got my first album. Before that I was a singles kid, obsessed with spinning 45s on my Dansette-style portable player.
But when my family came to Milwaukee in '75 to spend a Christmas with my grandparents, I got the first long-player of my own (previous LPs I checked out belonged to my parents): Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy."
I remember the embossed cover and, of course, the hit song. I don't remember much of anything else about it, though I do remember opening the cabinet doors and sliding the ancient turntable out at my grandparents house to play the record for the first time. I suspect my mom even has a photo of it somewhere.
Although Campbell reportedly played "Rhinestone Cowboy" at The Pabst on Saturday, I wasn't able to get video of it. Instead, I bid a fond adieu to the Rhinestone Cowboy, as he rides off into the sunset, with this clip of him performing "I Can't Stop Loving You."
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