Tag Archives: glen campbell

May 21, 2022 · 1:20 pm

Marking 7 years since Mom’s death

It has been 7 years since my mother died. The pandemic has made time’s passing more difficult for me to track. Seven years feels both not long ago and yet another lifetime ago. I think my mother would be very upset about the state of the world right now, as she always looked for common ground and the good in people. Those things seem to be in short supply these days.

I did have a moment of synchronicity today. I was listening to Glenn Campbell’s late masterpiece albums, Ghost on the Canvas. It was recorded after Campbell’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and was one of my mother’s favorite albums. It’s one of my favorites too, and I’ve listened to it dozens of times. Today I played it on the YouTube app on my TV and when I looked up during one of the instrumental interludes, I realized the song was titled, May 21, 1969.

I had never noticed this before! According to information I found online, May 21, 1969 was the date the date Campbell’s network variety show debuted on network TV. It would become a hit and known as “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.”

What are the chances that May 21, the day my mother died, would also be in a song title of one of our favorite albums? The moment felt like Mom’s spirit connecting with me through the wonders of the universe.

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Filed under Memories

Tagged as Alzheimer's, death, glen campbell, grief, memories, mother

August 8, 2017 · 10:15 pm

Glen Campbell leaves behind more than a musical legacy

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I was saddened to hear about the death of country music legend Glen Campbell, though he is now free from Alzheimer’s harrowing grip. It’s a huge loss in the music world, where Campbell was much more than just the “Rhinestone Cowboy,” he was an amazing session musician who could play a variety of instruments and his guitar work was phenomenal. He recorded some of the most influential songs of our time, and made them his own.

If you want to see Campbell performing all of his hits with a symphony, check out this YouTube video. He’s in great form here.

Of course, there was the man behind the music who struggled with a dark side that hid under his good guy public image. As Campbell hit middle-age, he became tabloid fodder, with multiple rocky marriages, kids he hardly knew and a bad cocaine and alcohol habit. He eventually got cleaned up and settled down with Kim Campbell, who would be tested when it came to the marriage vows of “in sickness and in health.”

Campbell and his family were very open with the public about his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. It was a brave decision, and if you watch the moving documentary concert film, “I’ll Be Me,” you’ll see the triumphs and challenges that presented itself as Campbell performed with Alzheimer’s on his final tour. His bravery, and his family’s openness, helped renew the dialogue on Alzheimer’s disease, raising public awareness. In turn, that interest helps advocates demand more support for research, care options and caregiver support.

As Campbell dealt with the latter stages of Alzheimer’s, his family kept the public updated, sometimes sharing painfully honest accounts that any of us who have dealt with this heartbreaking disease can relate to. I had a feeling Campbell wouldn’t be around much longer when his daughter Ashley posted this heartbreaking photo on Father’s Day. It reminded me of my father during the last months of his life, when Alzheimer’s had taken its toll.

Campbell’s family released an album of his final studio recording in June. The title, appropriately, is “Adios.” Farewell Glen, thanks for the memories.

Glen Campbell documentary ‘I’ll Be Me’ a powerful, profound look at Alzheimer’s

I finally had the chance to see the documentary about Glen Campbell called, “I’ll Be Me.” I highly recommend seeing it, even if you are not a fan of Campbell’s music.

The documentary is an unflinching yet loving look at how Campbell and his family have managed his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The film once again confirms the power of music. It was amazing to see how long Campbell’s music ability endured, even as he entered the late middle stages of the disease.

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The film, made in conjunction with his family, doesn’t shy away from the ugly aspects of Alzheimer’s. Viewers witness Campbell’s temper, repeating questions, communication difficulties, wandering, discussions of incontinence episodes and paranoid outbursts.

Viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at the sometimes chaotic backstage scene before shows. As we all know, those with Alzheimer’s have good and bad days, until they end up with more bad ones than good ones. When you are performing in front of hundreds of people, the good and the bad are magnified.

Campbell is now in the final stages of the disease and lives in a residential care facility.

For Campbell fans it will be difficult to watch one of the greatest guitarists of all times deal with such a debilitating disease, but his phenomenal guitar work is on display throughout the film, as is his sense of humor and his fighting spirit.

If you’ve seen the film, please share your thoughts.