Grammy-Winning Country-Pop Singer Glen Campbell Announces He Has Alzheimer’s Disease (video)
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on June 22, 2011
Youth is wasted on the young, and getting older can be a real b!tch.
Country-pop singer Glen Campbell just announced that he suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and is planning a farewell tour. No word yet on any of the tour details, but my gut tells me these will all be sell-out concerts.
God bless you, Glen — hang tough, hang strong. We love you.
From Spinner.com, Glen Campbell Reveals He Has Alzheimer’s, Plots Farewell Tour:
Singer Glen Campbell has revealed that he is battling Alzheimer’s disease. In an interview with People, the ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ hitmaker broke the news about his condition and his plans for a farewell tour.
The 75-year-old and his wife Kim decided to go public with the news now in order to keep fans from speculating about his behavior during the upcoming performances. “Glen is still an awesome guitar player and singer,” Kim said. “But if he flubs a lyric or gets confused on stage, I wouldn’t want people to think, ‘What’s the matter with him? Is he drunk?’”
Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s six months ago after years of short-term memory loss. Dates of the farewell tour have yet to be revealed, but it looks likely that they will be scheduled this fall.
From Washington Post:
Glen Campbell has Alzheimer’s disease — and plans a farewell concert tour this fall. The ’60s country-pop crossover star, 75, disclosed his diagnosis to People so fans would understand his situation, said his wife, Kim: “If he flubs a lyric or gets confused on stage, I wouldn’t want people to think, ‘What’s the matter with him? Is he drunk?’”
As a long-time Arizona resident, I’m particularly fond of this Glen Campbell hit from the 1960s — “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.”
Glen Campbell – By the Time I Get to Phoenix
From CBS News, Country singer Glen Campbell diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, fans react online:
The singer is planning to release one final album as well before calling it quits, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Campbell was a huge presence in the 60′s and 70′s with his Grammy winning smash “Gentle on My Mind”. Campbell’s influence also translated into a large presence on TV, even hosting his own variety hour on CBS called “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.”
In his career, Campbell has released more than 70 albums and has sold 45 million records. Campbell’s reach went beyond music and was even handpicked by John Wayne to play alongside him in the film True Grit, which gave Campbell a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. Campbell also sang the title song which was nominated for an Academy Award.
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So very sad. I’m sure a lot of people are praying for this man to make his journey less heartbreaking.