O/T The Music Thread

Great interview from back before Costas became so infatuated with himself.  He knew his stuff.  And Campbell was most engaging.  Further evidence that Glen Campbell could do anything musically.

I was a bit surprised that in none of those interviews did they mention The Wrecking Crew, the LA studio musicians who recorded on the majority of rock records released in the 1960s.  Campbell and Leon Russell were the two who probably had the biggest solo careers.  Larry Knechtel, who did the piano work on "Bridge Over Troubled Water," later became lead guitarist for Bread.  Drummer Hal Blaine was an integral part of The Wrecking Crew and did the drumming on most of the recordings of The Beach Boys and Byrds and hundreds of hit records.  Bassist Carol Kaye, the only woman in the crew, was the one who added the bass line to "The Beat Goes On" when the recording seemed to be going nowhere.  Tommy Tedesco played the guitar on the TV themes from "Bonanza," "The Twilight Zone," "Green Acres," "Batman" and many others.  There are dozens of examples of the work of The Wrecking Crew.

I loved "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour."  He was surrounded by other great musicians who were regulars on that show -- John Hartford, who wrote "Gentle On My Mind," and Jerry Reed and the banjoist Larry McNeeley.  Glen mentioned Mason Williams as one of the comedy writers along with Steve Martin and Rob Reiner.  Williams was also a skilled guitarist who had a hit in 1968 with "Classical Gas" which I remember him performing on both the Smothers Brothers Show and on The Goodtime Hour.

The first time I saw the Beach Boys in concert was in the spring of 1965 at the Wilmington Armory.  This was about four months after Brian Wilson had his mid-air breakdown and thereafter quit touring with the band for years.  I was appalled that he wasn't at the concert -- I sure had never heard of Glen Campbell at that point -- the only reason I knew his name was the article the next day in the Wilmington News Journal said that noted LA session player Glen Campbell filled in for Brian Wilson.  The public had no idea about Brian's problem, and probably half the crowd never noticed anyway because they spent the whole time screaming.

The first 45 I ever bought by Glen Campbell was in the fall of 1965, his cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "The Universal Soldier."  About two years later he was teamed with Jimmy Webb and did "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" in late 67, and it took off from there.  In addition to "Phoenix," he followed up with Webb songs "Wichita Lineman" and "Galveston" and the less-remembered "Where's The Playground Susie" and "Honey Come Back."  Webb was also writing most of The Fifth Dimension's hits at the same time.

I can't believe I don't remember the Miss Clairol ad, although it did have the "Is it true blondes have more fun" theme that anybody from that era remembers.  Campbell mentioned Jackie Ward also singing in that commercial.  Under the name of Robin Ward, she had a hit in the fall of 1963 called "Wonderful Summer."  She also did the singing on the Rice-A-Roni commercials (the San Francisco treat.)  TMI I know.  This is my musical sweet spot.

If you noticed the credits rolling by on the "Shindig" clip, you would see mention of The Wellingtons.  The Wellingtons sang the theme for "Gilligan's Island" and even appeared in one episode as The Mosquitoes.  I know, who cares?

There is a town in western PA called Glen Campbell.  Glen is just the Scottish word for valley, and the town long precedes the singer, it wasn't named for him.  About 250 people live there.  About 50 years ago, at the height of his fame, Glen Campbell agreed to participate in the town's parade.  How cool is that?  He really was a down-to-earth guy who, as those interviews showed, never forgot or looked down on his small-town background.

If you time out the route in "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," you will see it takes 18 1/2 hours of straight driving, assuming 10 to 17 to 40 in light traffic, to get from LA to the Oklahoma panhandle border.  Allowing for stops for gas, food and rest, it doesn't really add up the way the song has it.  Belief suspension is required.

Thanks for all the Glen Campbell postings.  As I said, he is on my very short list of favorites.  As he is for almost everyone I am related to.  Maybe the only example of where I was buying the same records as my parents.