Standing Ovation
Read: Ephesians 6:1-4
I was thrilled when Greg surprised me with tickets to the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. The bill for Jan. 28 included two of my favorites – Nanci Griffith and Emmylou Harris – as well as some interesting newcomers.
But I was apprehensive about seeing another performer – Glen Campbell, who was in the midst of a Goodbye Tour. The 75-year-old legend has Alzheimer’s, a disease with which Greg and I are increasingly familiar.
I lived in Washington State until I was 16. Country/Western music ruled my small town, and songs such as “Gentle on my Mind” and “Rhinestone Cowboy” are woven into my memory. I was not looking forward to seeing the Rhinestone Cowboy, once a virtuoso guitar player, in decline.
I thought Campbell was staggering a bit when he came out on stage, his natty blue rhinestone jacket a reminder of his glory days. He flubbed the opening to “Gentle on my Mind” and had to start over, casting frequent looks to the Teleprompters below the stage. But the sold-out crowd rose for a sustained standing ovation – one of many during his performance.
“There’s something to be said for going out when you’re still on top,” I whispered to Greg early on in the set.
But Glen Campbell clearly was having a blast. He poked fun at his memory glitches, and his enthusiasm was contagious.
Greg thought Campbell’s guitar work was amazing. I noticed that when he veered off to one end of the stage or another to interact with the crowd, a young guitarist in the band discretely picked up the tune to fill the gap.
When it was time to introduce the band, the pretty blonde keyboardist and banjo player stepped up. “Why, hello, my darling girl,” Campbell said, wrapping his arm around her waist. “What’s your name again?”
“It’s Ashley, Dad,” she said.
Ashley, who is 25, went on to introduce the band, which included her older brothers Cal and Shannon, and Campbell’s stage manager of 35 years or so. The Goodbye Tour was Glen Campbell’s idea, and his family and friends made the dream a reality.
Campbell wound down the set with “A Better Place,” a song from his final studio album:
“I’ve tried and I have failed, Lord / I’ve won and I have lost / I’ve lived and I have loved, Lord / Sometimes at such a cost / One thing I know, the world’s been good to me / A better place awaits, you’ll see.”
Kathy Gardner
Read: Ephesians 6:1-4
I was thrilled when Greg surprised me with tickets to the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. The bill for Jan. 28 included two of my favorites – Nanci Griffith and Emmylou Harris – as well as some interesting newcomers.
But I was apprehensive about seeing another performer – Glen Campbell, who was in the midst of a Goodbye Tour. The 75-year-old legend has Alzheimer’s, a disease with which Greg and I are increasingly familiar.
I lived in Washington State until I was 16. Country/Western music ruled my small town, and songs such as “Gentle on my Mind” and “Rhinestone Cowboy” are woven into my memory. I was not looking forward to seeing the Rhinestone Cowboy, once a virtuoso guitar player, in decline.
I thought Campbell was staggering a bit when he came out on stage, his natty blue rhinestone jacket a reminder of his glory days. He flubbed the opening to “Gentle on my Mind” and had to start over, casting frequent looks to the Teleprompters below the stage. But the sold-out crowd rose for a sustained standing ovation – one of many during his performance.
“There’s something to be said for going out when you’re still on top,” I whispered to Greg early on in the set.
But Glen Campbell clearly was having a blast. He poked fun at his memory glitches, and his enthusiasm was contagious.
Greg thought Campbell’s guitar work was amazing. I noticed that when he veered off to one end of the stage or another to interact with the crowd, a young guitarist in the band discretely picked up the tune to fill the gap.
When it was time to introduce the band, the pretty blonde keyboardist and banjo player stepped up. “Why, hello, my darling girl,” Campbell said, wrapping his arm around her waist. “What’s your name again?”
“It’s Ashley, Dad,” she said.
Ashley, who is 25, went on to introduce the band, which included her older brothers Cal and Shannon, and Campbell’s stage manager of 35 years or so. The Goodbye Tour was Glen Campbell’s idea, and his family and friends made the dream a reality.
Campbell wound down the set with “A Better Place,” a song from his final studio album:
“I’ve tried and I have failed, Lord / I’ve won and I have lost / I’ve lived and I have loved, Lord / Sometimes at such a cost / One thing I know, the world’s been good to me / A better place awaits, you’ll see.”
Kathy Gardner
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