Jimmy Webb Talks About His Lifelong Friend Glen Campbell - Noise11.com
Jimmy Webb performs at the Recital Centre in Melbourne on Tuesday 27 June 2017. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Jimmy Webb performs at the Recital Centre in Melbourne on Tuesday 27 June 2017. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Jimmy Webb Talks About His Lifelong Friend Glen Campbell

by Paul Cashmere on August 9, 2017

in News

The name Jimmy Webb is carved alongside the career of country music legend Glen Campbell, who passed away today at age 81.

Jimmy Webb would become Glenn Campbell’s greatest songwriting asset over his career, crafting classics ‘Galveston’, ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix, ‘Where’s The Playground Susie’ and ‘Wichita Lineman’ for the legendary singer. However, the relationship got off to a shaky start.

Glenn had already recorded and had a hit with Jimmy’s song ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’ but the two didn’t meet until later when Glen was recording a car commercial and Jimmy had written the jingle.

Jimmy tells Noise11.com, “I walked into the studio that day. I was freshly returned from the Monterrey Pop Festival. I was wearing my red bandana and I had shoulder length hair, some raggedy old jeans and a yak vest. I walked in and I stuck out my hand and I said “hello Mr Campbell, I am Jimmy Webb” and he just looked over my shoulder. It may have been that my yak vest hadn’t exactly cured out right. He didn’t seem too interested in getting to know me. I said, “Mr Campbell, I wrote By The Time I Get To Phoenix. I am Jimmy Webb”. He locked eyes on me and said, “when are you going to get a haircut?” That’s how we met. It was a challenge from the get-go. He was more of a right kinda guy and I was kinda a lefty. Somehow or other it seemed like it was up to us to carve out some sort of clearing in the forest of politics where we could work together and that’s what we did.

“The first session Glenn and I ever did together was for General Motors. I had written a song loosely called ‘Song for the Open Road’ (aka ‘Let’s Get Going’). It was the first arrangement, the first time Glen and I had really worked together in the studio. It was the first time I had met him up close,” Jimmy said.

Jimmy recognises the Webb- Campbell collaboration made both their careers. “I still think that his voice and my songs had a special affinity for each other,” Jimmy said.

Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb became lifelong friends from that first day in the studio recording the Chevy commercial. The partnership continued right up to Campbell’s most recent album ‘Adios’, released just 10 weeks ago. Jimmy wrote the title track and recently ended his Australian shows with the song.

Earlier: R.I.P. Glen Campbell 1936-2017

Noise11.com

Related Posts

Brenton Wood
American Singer Songwriter Brenton Wood Dies At Age 83

American singer songwriter Brenton Wood, best known for the 1967 hit ‘Gimme Little Sign’, has died at the age of 83.

3 days ago
Paul McCartney in Santiago Octover 2024 photo by Karen Freedman
Paul McCartney Promises New Album for 2025

Paul McCartney was recently asked by fans at his website if he had any New Years resolutions. Well it looks like we are getting a new album for 2025.

December 26, 2024
Paul McCartney in Santiago Octover 2024 photo by Karen Freedman
Paul McCartney Plays Last Show Of Got Back Tour For 2024 in London With Ronnie Wood and Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr joined Paul McCartney for the last show of the Got Back tour for 2024 in London 19 December and so did Ronnie Wood. Sir Macca also performed his Christmas classic ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ for the first time since 2018.

December 20, 2024
Ringo Starr photo by Ros O'Gorman
Ringo Starr Likes The Way He Sounds On His Country Album

Ringo Starr has followed in the footsteps of Beyoncé and her ‘Cowboy Carter’ record by finishing a country music album titled ‘Look Up’, which is due out on 10 January.

December 16, 2024
Bob Dylan A Complete Unknown
Watch the Extended Preview of Bob Dylan A Complete Unknown Starring Timothée Chalamet

A new eight-minute extended video of the Bob Dylan biopic ‘A Complete Unknown’ has been released.

December 12, 2024
Jimmy Webb performs at the Recital Centre in Melbourne on Tuesday 27 June 2017. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
Songwriter To The Stars Jimmy Webb To Return To Australia in 2025

Legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb will return to Australia in 2025.

December 10, 2024
Paul McCartney UK coin 2024
Paul McCartney Is In The Money … Quite Literally

The Royal Mint in the UK has put Paul McCartney quite literally in the money. For the first time, Sir Paul McCartney has authorised a set of official coins in his name.

December 8, 2024