Glen Campbell

@Left Handed, Timeline and Childhood

Glen Campbell was an American singer, guitarist, television host, and actor

Apr 22, 1936

ArkansasAlzheimer'sLeft HandedAmericanGuitaristsSingersCountry SingersTaurus Celebrities
Biography

Personal Details

  • Birthday: April 22, 1936
  • Died on: August 8, 2017
  • Nationality: American
  • Famous: Left Handed, Guitarists, Singers, Country Singers
  • City/State: Arkansas
  • Spouses: 1982–2017 - Kimberly Woolen, 1955–1959 - Diane Kirk, 1959–1976 - Billie Jean Nunley, 1976–1980 - Sarah Barg
  • Known as: Glen Travis Campbell

Glen Campbell born at

Billstown, Arkansas

Unsplash
Birth Place

Glen Campbell was married four times. He had five sons and three daughters. He married Diane Kirk in 1955 and divorced her in 1959. Next, he was married to Billie Jean Nunley from 1959 to 1076.

Unsplash
Personal Life

He married Sarah Barg in 1976; this marriage ended four years later. He wed Kimberly ‘Kim’ Woollen in 1982.

Unsplash
Personal Life

His biography, ‘The Glen Campbell Story’, written by Freda Kramer, was published in 1970.

Unsplash
Personal Life

Glen Campbell was born on April 22, 1936 in Billstown, Arkansas, to John Wesley, a poor sharecropper, and Carrie Dell (Stone) Campbell. He had five brothers and four sisters. The family lived on a farm and picked cotton for rich farmers—Glen used to pick a hundred pounds for $1.25. He later said in an interview that even if he worked very hard, he could pick only 80-90 pounds a day.

Unsplash
Childhood & Early Life

His family has musical interests and Glen became efficient with the guitar at the age of four. Two years later, he ended up performing on local radio stations. With no formal training in music, he practiced by listening to the radio and records.

Unsplash
Childhood & Early Life

At the age of 14, he dropped out of school to work with his brothers in Houston. Yet, he wouldn’t give up music. He started playing music at fairs, church choirs, and church picnics. He also performed on local radio stations, and later in a local nightclub.

Unsplash
Childhood & Early Life

He eventually moved to New Mexico in 1954 and joined his uncle's band, Dick Bills and the Sandia Mountain Boys. He also found spots on children's programs on KOB television and radio shows with his uncle. In 1958, he formed his own band, the Western Wranglers.

Unsplash
Childhood & Early Life

In 1960, Glen Campbell moved to Los Angeles and joined the rock and roll band, the Champs. He also took up a job at American Music, a publishing company, where he wrote songs and recorded demos. Soon he joined a group of studio musicians called the Wrecking Crew.

Unsplash
Career

In May 1961, he left the Champs and signed a contract with the Crest Records. His first solo single, ‘Turn Around, Look at Me’, peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Unsplash
Career

He, along with his band members from the Champs, formed Gee Cees and performed at the Crossbow Inn. They also released a single, which did not do well. In 1962, he signed with Capitol Records and achieved moderate success with songs like ‘Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry’ and ‘Kentucky Means Paradise’.

Unsplash
Career

His popularity as a musician earned him some television projects as well, and in 1964 he started appearing as a regular on the syndicated series ‘Star Route’, the musical variety series ‘Shindig!’ and ‘Hollywood Jamboree.’

Unsplash
Career

In 1965, his song ‘Universal Soldier’ became his biggest solo hit and reached No. 45 on the Hot 100. He then collaborated with producer Al De Lory and recorded ‘Burning Bridges’ in 1966; it became a top 20 country hit. Next, they recorded ‘Gentle on My Mind’, which was an instant hit, followed by the song ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’, which became a bigger success.

Unsplash
Career

Twelve of Glen Campbell albums were certified gold, four platinum, and one double-platinum. The albums ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ and ‘Southern Nights’, both became US No. 1 hits. His single ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ became one of his signature songs and won numerous awards and nominations.

Unsplash
Major Works

The songs ‘Gentle on My Mind’ and ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’ were his other important works. The former won four Grammy Awards while the latter earned two. Both the songs are counted among the best country songs of all time.

Unsplash
Major Works