Glen Campbell: The Rhinestone Cowboy; An Evening with Glen Campbell, BBC 4.

Glen Campbell is the Doris Day of Country and Western, or indeed American Music. He’s the ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ who came from a humble background, musically a child prodigy that could make a guitar and most other instruments sing and his voice was good too. He’d the hunky wholesome good looks that spoke of apple pie and living the good life for Jesus. Sure he got lucky. It’s not enough to be talented. Even Doris Day before she was a virgin got lucky, if not laid. But he’d talent, real talent and that’s what shone through. I must admit to not knowing who Glen Campbell was until I was in my twenties. I listen to background music on TV, don’t even have a radio in my van. But the thing about Glen Campbell’s music is it takes you out of linear time. It takes you back to a more innocent time. It takes you back to a time that probably never existed. Glen Campbell sings the kind of songs that you’d have sung if you’d have known them. And in all sincerity, he sings them for the you that was lost.