Country legend Glen Campbell diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease

Posted by elena On Thursday, June 23rd 2011 in Celebrity

Country singer and guitarist Glen Campbell announced on Wednesday that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The 75-year old musician is yet in the early stages of the incurable disease. He is planning to release a new album and go on a farewell tour later this year.

In an interview for "People" magazine, the veteran star said he had been affected by short-term memory loss for several years, but was only diagnosed with Alzheimer's six months ago. Campbell added that he still enjoyed performing and wanted to thank his fans for "sticking" with him. Kim Campbell, the country star's wife, said that her husband is still an "awesome" musician and that, if he missed a lyric or became confused during a performance, fans should know why it happened. Only a few weeks ago, Campbell was criticised for a poor performance at a concert in Indiana.

The musician's latest album, "Ghost on the Canvas", is scheduled to be released on August 30. The record will feature an impressive array of musical guests, from Chris Isaak to Billy Corgan, the singer of the Smashing Pumpkins. Artists like the Wallflowers' Jakob Dylan and the Replacements' Paul Westerberg wrote the songs on the album. Glen Campbell's last tour will begin in October.

Glen Campbell was born on April 22, 1936, in Arkansas. He began his career as a session musician in the 50s and early 60s, playing guitar for big names such as the Beach Boys and Beatles' producer Phil Spector. As a solo artist, he scored his first hit in 1967, with "Gentle on My Mind". His best-known songs include "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "I Wanna Live" and "Southern Nights". Cambell's biggest hit to date is probably "Rhinestone Cowboy", which reached number one in the charts in 1975. His 2008 album, "Meet Glen Campbell", was a collection of covers of songs by artists such as Green Day, Jackson Browne, Tom Petty, and the Foo Fighters.

During his 50-years-long career, Glen Campbell released over 70 albums, of which he sold some 45 million copies. He won eight Grammy awards, as well as several other distinctions. From 1969 to 1972, he hosted his own television show on CBS, titled "The Glenn Campbell Goodtime Hour". The Beatles and Johnny Cash are among the guests featured on the show. In 1969, Campbell appeared in the movie "True Grit", alongside John Wayne.