A few years ago, I was at a party and Glen Campbell got up to perform. It was a total surprise to most of us that he was present and I gather it surprised the hosts that he offered to do something. I think but am not certain that it even surprised him a bit; that he suddenly decided to do it when he noticed that someone else there had a guitar that he could borrow. A little "concert" was quickly arranged and I recall that the microphone set-up wasn't right so his loving wife stood there for the entire time holding the mike in the proper position for him.
It was a thrill that he was doing it. I mean, Glen Campbell, for God's sakes! The man was one of the great recording artists of his day and still moves a lot of CDs. I don't know the numbers but I know they're stunning — and I'm just thinking of the ones with his name on the label. He also played anonymously on hundreds of top-selling recordings by other artists.
Glen Campbell was always a performer that people just liked. I have never heard a bad word about the guy from anyone in the business. When he was announced at the party, a ripple of excitement spread across the room…but as he stepped up, there was some discomfort at first. He said a few words which seemed rambling and disconnected, then launched into a hymn that seemed a bit inappropriate to the occasion.
He wasn't singing like the old Glen Campbell we knew and loved, either. He got better though and there was another wave of thrill when he launched into "Rhinestone Cowboy." Even with no orchestra or backup singers…just Glen and a borrowed guitar singing into a mike his wife was holding…it was pretty special.
By then, we were more forgiving and even more impressed because a bit of whispered information had spread through the party: "You know, he's got Alzheimer's." No, most of us didn't. For a guy with Alzheimer's, he was pretty darn good.
Last night, I watched a stunning documentary on TV called Glen Campbell…I'll Be Me. He and his family bravely allowed a crew to follow them around through his recent life, including a farewell tour, to show what that awful condition can do to a man and to the loved ones around him.
A lot of us do jokes about Alzheimer's and on a very real level, we should. We joke about death to remind ourselves (or maybe convince ourselves) we're not afraid of it…and if you can joke about death, you can joke about anything short of that. But you also need to keep in mind that aspects of it are not funny and that there are people who can and should be helped. Some of the most powerful moments of the documentary involve the Campbells lobbying Washington to make sure that the problem is not ignored and that sufficient funds are put towards research. I suppose that goal is why they consented to this documentary.
It meant showing the world what Glen is like these days at his worst. He comes across as a very good man with a very supportive band of friends and relatives. He remembers some things at times but not everything at all times. We follow his farewell concert tour where at least for the early part of it, powerful instincts and a TelePrompter enable him to delight audiences with an approximation of the old, pre-Alzheimer's Glen Campbell. He can't remember what year it is but he can somehow remember how to play. Eventually though, things get worse and he has to give it up.
It's very sad at some points and encouraging at others. One takeaway you may take away is that his sense of humor serves him well and his loved ones serve him even better. The man cannot even remember the name of all his wives and children but thankfully, he has the current wife and some kids around to take wonderful care of him. I found myself liking them all a lot — him for his general spirit, though there are bad moments; the others for helping him live the best possible life given his condition. And all of them deserve admiration for allowing this film.
It runs again tonight, possibly for the last time for a while on free TV, on CNN. It's 8 PM on my cable channel and I suggest you have your TiVo or DVR grab it while you can. Then watch it when you have time to give it its proper attention and you're not afraid to get a little depressed. Given the subject matter, it's awkward to say this but it's true: You won't forget it…if you're fortunate.