Glen Campbell, who died in 2017 at the age of 81, was by any standard an exceptional musician and beloved entertainer. He even hosted his own successful variety show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, from 1969 to 1972 on CBS. A perennial favorite because of his genial personality, striking clean-cut looks, and immense talent, Campbell recorded huge hit after hit. Among them were "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Southern Nights," "Rhinestone Cowboy," and "Galveston." He once spoke in an interview on YouTube about his definite affinity for studio work as opposed to doing gigs. One of the unlikeliest ones Campbell ever had was opening for The Doors. Yes, The Doors!
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Glen Campbell Liked Studio Work Rather Than Doing Gigs
Campbell was very clear that he preferred being in a studio with other musicians and performers instead of going on gigs. The pay was far better, he said, and he truly enjoyed the company of the people he worked with.
"I was hanging around the greatest musicians in the world," he mused about his studio days. "That's where you learn how to play. You get to work with so many different people. Nat King Cole, boy...For me, that was such a thrill. I'd rather be doing that than go out and play in some joint. Or trying to go out and become an artist and get on the road by yourself. I didn't really want to do that."
He Opened For The Doors And It Was Just Plain Weird
Campbell opened for the "Light My Fire" band fronted by Jim Morrison in Portland and Seattle. That was one of his first big gigs, he remembered. There was no band to back him; it was just Campbell and his guitar. In the interview, he jokingly said he was singing the song, "Turn Around, Look at Me." He sang the lyric, "There was someone walking behind you....," and people were interrupting him and shouting, "We want The Doors!"
Campbell Set Some Limits After That
That was just about enough for him. He said, "When I got back to town, I said, 'Don't book me on no more of those, man. I'll stay and do sessions. I can make more money and enjoy it a hell of a lot more."
Amplifying that point, Campbell added, "I enjoyed the studio better. There was a lot more camaraderie in the studio and a lot more funny stuff. That's a part of my life I'm very fond of. It was really, really fun. It was good times."
