Glen Campbell Shows Off Legendary Guitar Skills With Impressive Bluegrass Cover
on Jun 24, 2017
In 1996, Glen Campbell was stilling riding high on his success from decades earlier. With songs such as “Wichita Lineman” and “Gentle on My Mind,” Campbell’s one-of-a-kind vocals etched him a place in pop and country music history as one of the genre’s most awarded and successful artists.
But, it wasn’t only Campbell’s crossover success as a vocalist that set him apart. The Grammy Award winner was one of the best guitar players to ever grace a stage. In fact, Campbell first made a name for himself as a session musician with the Wrecking Crew, a group of anonymous studio musicians who performed on Sixties recordings by artists that included Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin, the Monkees, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.
Campbell signed a deal with Capital Records in 1962. After teaming up with fellow Wrecking Crew album Al De Lory, the two discovered the songs of Jimmy Webb and recorded what would become some of Campbell’s biggest hits including “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” “Galveston,” and “Wichita Lineman.”
Campbell’s success carried over to his 1968 TV show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, as well as movie appearances, including a part in the 1969 John Wayne movie True Grit.
Even though Glen was mutli-talented, his guitar skills often overshadowed the rest. He often showed off his impressive skills and unique style during live television appearances. One of those appearances was during a 1996 television show where he played a medley that included Ricky Skaggs’s 1985 hit “Country Boy” and the Osborne Brothers classic, “Rocky Top.”
If there was ever any doubt that Glen Campbell was one of the most talented guitar players to ever hit country music, the video below will put that to rest. Watch and prepare to be blown away as Glen Campbell plays and sings “Country Boy” and “Rocky Top.”
