Personal story · Glen Campbell (1936-2017)
Glen Campbell's Goodbye Tour.
A country music legend found out he had Alzheimer's in 2011. Instead of hiding it, he went on tour one last time and let the cameras roll, so other families would not feel alone.
Read his story
Image: Tim Seidenstricker, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
06 07
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01 / Who he was
The Rhinestone Cowboy
Glen Campbell taught himself guitar and never learned to read music. He still played on records for Frank Sinatra and the Beach Boys. He sang "Rhinestone Cowboy," a #1 hit in 1975, and "Wichita Lineman," and he hosted his own TV show.
Image: Arnielee, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
02 / His journey
From diagnosis to goodbye
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Before 2009 | His wife Kim noticed he kept asking the same questions and got fixated on routines. |
| 2009 | Diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, an early warning stage. |
| 2011 | A PET scan showed plaques and tangles, which confirmed Alzheimer's. He told the public that June, around age 74. |
| 2011-2012 | The Goodbye Tour: 151 shows, with three of his kids in the band and teleprompters feeding him the lyrics. |
| May 2012 | Performed for members of Congress to push for Alzheimer's research funding. |
| Nov 30, 2012 | His last concert, in Napa, California. He didn't know it was his last. |
| Jan 2013 | Recorded his final song, "I'm Not Gonna Miss You." It won a Grammy and was nominated for an Oscar. |
| 2014 | Moved into a memory-care facility. The documentary Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me was released. |
| 2016 | He had lost most of his ability to speak, but still responded to affection. |
| Aug 8, 2017 | Died at 81 in Nashville. |
03 / Hardships and daily life
Living with it
- Watching old home videos, he asked "Who is that?" at every face. Kim had to tell him who his own family was.
- He couldn't remember his wife's name while she stood right next to him.
- He could still play complicated guitar solos long after he forgot the words. Music was one of the last things to go.
- Later came frustration, anger and paranoia, including a meltdown on stage.
- Kim became depressed as he forgot her. She went on to start CareLiving, a site that supports other caregivers.
"We didn't want people to think they were going through this alone." Ashley Campbell, his daughter
"I'm Not Gonna Miss You," his last song, official video (GlenCampbellVEVO, 2014)
Sources for this tab
- WAMC / NPR. Glen Campbell, Country Music Legend, Is Dead At 81 (2017). https://www.wamc.org/2017-08-08/glen-campbell-country-music-legend-is-dead-at-81
- KMUW. Glen Campbell's Wife Reflects On The Country Legend's Battle With Alzheimer's (2017). https://www.kmuw.org/music/2017-11-01/glen-campbells-wife-reflects-on-the-country-legends-battle-with-alzheimers
- The Hollywood Reporter. 'Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me' review (2014). https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/glen-campbell-ill-be-me-743438/
- Variety. Film Review: 'Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me' (2014). https://variety.com/2014/film/festivals/film-review-glen-campbell-ill-be-me-1201322175/
- KQED. New Documentary Chronicles Glen Campbell's Farewell (2014). https://www.kqed.org/arts/10145308/new-documentary-chronicles-glen-campbells-farewell
- Fox News. Glen Campbell's wife says singer has lost ability to speak (2016). https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/glen-campbells-wife-says-singer-has-lost-ability-to-speak
- Alzheimer's Association. Glen Campbell Sings to Congress (2012). https://www.alz.org/blog/2012/glen_campbell_sings_to_congress_keeps_alzheimer_s
- Wikipedia. Glen Campbell (used to cross-check dates). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Campbell
- Wikipedia. I'm Not Gonna Miss You (used to cross-check awards). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Not_Gonna_Miss_You
- Glen Campbell. I'm Not Gonna Miss You, official music video (GlenCampbellVEVO, 2014). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8TsAh-zYFI