He is one of music’s most respected figures, and next week on the 45th Annual Country Music Association Awards, three of the format’s top stars will be uniting forces to salute the legendary Glen Campbell.
The CMA announced yesterday that Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Keith Urban will join musical forces during the ABC telecast on Nov. 9 to pay tribute to Campbell.
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Campbell was named both CMA Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year in 1968, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. The legendary performer has sold more than 45 million albums and recorded such classic hits as “Wichita Lineman,” “Gentle On My Mind,” “Galveston,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Southern Nights,” and “Rhinestone Cowboy.” As a musician, Campbell was part of the much-heralded Wrecking Crew that performed on a variety of artists’ albums. His guitar prowess is featured on the Beach Boys’ seminal album “Pet Sounds” and on Frank Sinatra’s megahit “Strangers in the Night,” among others. He acted alongside John Wayne in the movie “True Grit,” and hosted “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour” on television from 1968-1972.
Earlier this year, Campbell announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He is in the midst of his successful Goodbye Tour after releasing his final album, the critically-acclaimed Ghost on the Canvas.
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Each of the artists saluting Campbell have established quite a reputation for their instrumental talents. Paisley released his own instrumental album, Play, in 2008, and is the author of Diary of a Player: How My Musical Heroes Made a Guitar Man Out of Me, which comes out today. He is also the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year.
With eighteen CMA trophies to his credit, Gill has just returned to the record stores with Guitar Slinger. It is his first project since the four-CD set These Days was released in 2006.
Since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1999, Urban has established himself as one of the most popular entertainers in the format. He has countless awards and acclaim for his records and live shows.
“The 45th Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.