Legendary singer and guitarist Glen Campbell's final studio album, Adiós, will be released June 9 on UMe, capping off an extraordinary career that has spanned more than five decades and 50 million albums sold.
Adiós was recorded at Station West in Nashville following Campbell's "Goodbye Tour" which he launched after revealing he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The album was announced via People.com with an exclusive statement from Kim Campbell, Glen's wife of 34 years. In her touching notes, Kim reveals the genesis of the album, details the recording process and explains why Adiós is finally being released. Kim writes: "A new Glen Campbell album coming out in 2017 might seem a bit odd since he hasn't performed since 2012, and even more odd -- if not absolutely amazing -- when you consider that he has Alzheimer's disease. Glen's abilities to play, sing and remember songs began to rapidly decline after his diagnosis in 2011. A feeling of urgency grew to get him into the studio one last time to capture what magic was left. It was now or never." She concludes, "What you're hearing when listening to Adiós is the beautiful and loving culmination of friends and family doing their very best for the man who inspired, raised, and entertained them for decades -- giving him the chance to say one last goodbye to his fans, and put one last amazing collection of songs onto the record store shelves." Head over to People.com to read Kim Campbell's full note as well as hear the album's first track, "Everybody's Talkin'," Campbell's take on the Fred Neil-penned hit made famous by Harry Nilsson in the film "Midnight Cowboy."
For Campbell's final recording session, Glen and Kim turned to Glen's longtime banjo player and family friend Carl Jackson to helm the production, play guitar and help his old friend. In preparation for the recording, Jackson, who joined Campbell's band in the early '70s as an 18-year-old banjo player, laid down some basic tracks and vocals for Campbell to study and practice. Jackson encouraged him every step of the way and although Campbell struggled at times because of his progressing dementia, he was clearly ecstatic about being in the studio.
The 12-track collection features songs that Campbell always loved but never got a chance to record, including several from Jimmy Webb, his longtime collaborator behind some of his biggest hits like "Wichita Lineman" "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," and "Galveston." In addition to the bittersweet title track, "Adiós," first popularized by Linda Ronstadt, Campbell also sings Webb's longing love song "Just Like Always" and country weeper "It Won't Bring Her Back." He revisits "Postcard From Paris" with his sons Cal and Shannon and daughter Ashley singing the line, "I wish you were here," resulting in a powerful and heartfelt message of a family singing together one last time.
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