The Glen Campbell Story

Key Takeaways

• Glen Campbell was a Grammy-winning country and pop music legend.
• He earned a Golden Globe nomination for True Grit, handpicked by John Wayne.
• Rising from humble Arkansas roots, he left a lasting musical legacy.

Glen Campbell was one of the most versatile and influential entertainers of his era, earning acclaim as a country and crossover pop musician, guitarist, and occasional actor. Over a career that spanned decades, he won numerous honors from the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, and the Grammys, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, Campbell was also highly regarded for his work as a session guitarist, recording with legendary artists such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, and The Monkees.

Handpicked by The Duke

Campbell had dabbled in TV and movies as an actor, mostly portraying musicians, but when big-screen Western legend John Wayne chose him for the supporting role of fast-talking Texas Ranger La Boeuf in the 1969 version of True Grit, Campbell ventured out of his comfort zone as an actor. His performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for “Most Promising Newcomer,” and John Wayne an Oscar. The title song, which Campbell sang, was also nominated for an Academy Award. But the movies would always take a back seat to music.

“True Grit was fun to do,” Campbell said of the experience, “but I wasn’t cut out to be an actor. I made John Wayne look so good, he won his only Oscar.”

Glen Travis Campbell was born on April 22, 1936 in Billstown, Arkansas, the son of sharecroppers, the seventh son of eight boys and four girls. He is survived by his wife, Kimberley and eight children, three of whom played in his band on his farewell tour, three of his sisters and two brothers, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.