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In 2011, Glen Campbell released Ghost On the Canvas and it was revealed that the legendary artist was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Campbell then embarked upon the yearlong Good Times – Final Farewell Tour which took him to cities in Europe and North America. After the conclusion of that tour, he went into the studio to finish the album See You There, which was released in August of 2013. It was billed at the time as his sixty-third and final studio album. However, it has now been announced that Campbell had recorded additional material. That material will comprise Adios, which will now be his final studio album, and will be released on June 9 by UMe.
The exact recording date for this new album has not been revealed as of yet. It was recorded after the November 2012 conclusion of the Good Times Tour at Station West in Nashville. Campbell’s previously announced final song was “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” which was included in the 2014 documentary Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me, chronicling Campbell’s farewell tour. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song and was nominated for an Oscar. It was recorded in January of 2013, so it is possible that this new album was recorded around the same time along with the final sessions for See You There.
Adios is helmed by Carl Jackson, Campbell’s longtime banjo player. It features Campbell covering songs he always enjoyed, but did not record in the studio (for the most part). Four of the twelve songs are written by Jimmy Webb, with whom Campbell has been closely associated over the years via such classics as “Wichita Lineman,” “By The Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Galveston.” Here, Glen covers the title track which was made famous by Linda Ronstadt, as well as “Just Like Always,” “It Won’t Bring Her Back” and “Postcard from Paris” with his children Cal, Shannon and Ashley. (A version of “Postcard” was included on See You There – whether this is a different recording has not been revealed.)
Other famous songwriters represented are Bob Dylan with “Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right,” Dickey Lee with “She Thinks I Still Care” and Jerry Reed with “A Thing Called Love,” popularized by Johnny Cash. Roger Miller’s “Am I All Alone (Or Is It Only Me) features a home recording of Miller himself performing the song before seguing into Campbell’s version, on which Glen is joined by Vince Gill on harmony. Another famous guest is Willie Nelson, who joins with Campbell on his own “Funny How Time Slips Away.” “Arkansas Farmboy” is a song written by Carl Jackson in the mid-1970s, inspired by Campbell himself. Campbell also covers Fred Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin’,” made famous by Harry Nilsson in 1969. You can go to People.com to hear Campbell’s version from the album and also read notes from his wife, Kim Campbell.
Glen Campbell was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. The Academy of Country Music bestowed him with its Career Achievement Award last year. His career has spanned nearly sixty years and over sixty albums. He has battled Alzheimer’s disease for nearly a decade now. If you would like to hear Campbell’s last studio recordings, Adios will be available June 9 on CD, vinyl and digital download. The U.K. edition adds a bonus disc of Campbell’s classic hits. We’ve got the full tracklisting and preorder links below for this valedictory release from an American original.
Glen Campbell, Adios (UMe, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD)
- Everybody’s Talkin’
- Just Like Always
- Funny (How Time Slips Away) featuring Willie Nelson
- Arkansas Farmboy
- Am I All Alone (Or Is It Only Me) – intro by Roger Miller
- Am I All Alone (Or Is It Only Me) featuring Vince Gill
- It Won’t Bring Her Back
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
- She Thinks I Still Care
- Postcard from Paris
- A Thing Called Love
- Adios
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Crikey!
Glen is giving Tupac a run for his money except he’s still alive.
Ghost On The Canvas was a masterpiece in my opinion. Looking forward to this release.
Just gave this a spin at your recommendation. The sticker on the sleeve says ”Glen’s FINAL studio album” … not that I’m criticising. A remarkable career.
I agree! The “Ghost On The Canvas” album was both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.
Adios is a remarkable Jimmy Webb song. What a way to end the last album.
Should be something.
I’ll always regret not going to see him live back in 2012.
I saw that tour, he was incredible. There were signs of his progressing disease as he had to rely on teleprompters for lyrics but his guitar playing was not affected at all it appeared. He was amazing. He even displayed moments of humor. At one point toward the end of the show his daughter told him “Dad, don’t you think now would be a good time to introduce the band?” and he said, “sure, who are they?”
This new album looks to be a phenomenal tribute to the artists and songwriters represented on this release! Would you know whether Roger Miller’s “Am I All Alone (Or Is It Only Me)” is a previously unreleased song, only captured incidentally and informally at his home? Or recorded at home as a demo? Or did he later record and release it? I am unable to find it in his discography (but may have overlooked this song title or perhaps it was released under a different title). If it is a brand new song come to light, then Miller’s short intro track as well as the song would be big news for Roger Miller fans! Thank you for any information you can provide.