Glen Campbell – Rhinestone Cowboy

I assume the contemporary audience has no idea how huge Glen Campbell was in the 1960s and 1970s. He was a revered session guitarist (he was part of the Wrecking Crew), had crossover pop hits (Campbell is classified as country and sold over 45 million records), was an actor (True Grit), and had a hit TV variety show. In 2010, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, yet managed to pursue a career encore with a tour, documentary, and a couple of great final studio albums.

I found this album while crate-digging at the Sun City audio shrine in February of 2025, but I am only just listening to it now (December 2025). The LP is in Good condition*. Glen Campbell was one of the few pop stars who got through to me as a kid (I was pop-music illiterate). The song “Rhinestone Cowboy” was a massive hit for Campbell and remains one of his signature songs.

Rhinestone Cowboy is a concept album about an over-the-hill country musician who is uneasy about his past fame. It was produced by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, who also wrote about half the songs. In addition to the hit song “Rhinestone Cowboy,” there was a second hit: “Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.).” There are also some great covers, including Smokey Robinson’s “My Girl,” Randy Newman’s “Marie,” and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil’s “We’re Over”  (a country hit a few years earlier for Johnny Rodriguez).

Campbell’s style is easy listening pop with just a pinch of country. It runs right to the edge of the cliff of schmaltz, but never falls over that cliff. It was a very successful formula, and Rhinestone Cowboy is a perfect example of the formula. Although I was familiar with a few of these songs (either from Campbell or from other artists), I had never listened to this album. It turns out to be an excellent album and a reminder of Glen Campbell’s greatness.

*An LP in Good (G or G+) condition has significant surface noise, groove wear, or cover damage; still playable but not pristine.