Legendary country musician Glen Campbell has died following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. He was 81 years old.
A representative for Universal Music Group, Campbell’s record label, confirmed the singer’s death to Rolling Stone.
With a career spanning five decades, Campbell is widely considered one of music’s greatest songwriters, an artist who bridged the worlds of country and pop on his way to selling more than 70 million albums worldwide. He’ll be remembered for iconic songs such as “Wichita Lineman”, “Galveston”, and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” in addition to his crown opus, “Rhinestone Cowboy”, considered by many to be the greatest country music song ever written. For his efforts, Campbell won a total of 10 Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2014.
Beyond his career in music, Campbell also dabbled in acting with roles in films like Norwood, Any Which Way You Can, and True Grit, for which he won a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer in 1968.
Cambell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011, but remained active up until his death. His 2011 album, Ghost on the Canvas, was initial billed as his final album and Campbell supported its release by embarking on a farewell tour the following year. However, the following year Campbell released another album, See You There. In 2014, Campbell was the focus of a documentary, I’ll Be Me; he himself wrote the film’s theme, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You”, which was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award. Earlier this year, Campbell announced another final album, Adiós, which was released in June.
