#Glen campbell gentle on my mind movie

None of the above should be read or misconstrued as tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of his battle with Alzheimer's disease, but it's his reality - the forgetfulness, the difficulties with names and the constant reminding - all asked for and delivered with grace, humility, kindness and a smile. It was an extraordinarily beautiful and sunny early May day and Campbell, the 76-year-old country legend was relishing it, happy to be there for whatever reason it was. He asked for a sparkling water and was overjoyed when someone brought him one, forgetting that he made the request, instead believing that someone had just read his mind - an outcome that could be considered exponentially better. He leaned on his wife, Kim, for information and for deciphering the names offered with handshakes in introductions. He looked healthy and dashing in a yellow Western shirt, slacks and boots. They’ll feel empowered … And they’ll understand what many of us are going through in this world,” Kim Campbell said.Glen Campbell walked down the steps that run along the residence - which belongs to Conor Oberst when he's in town - that sits on the property of Fivestar Studios in Laurel Canyon.

#Glen campbell gentle on my mind movie

“And by the time he was done with the joking and regaling what he’d forgotten, he felt safe and everybody else felt safe, and it was an opportunity for the elephant to be in the room and to be okay with it, which is what we hope the movie will do for people. Rather, he used the last of his memory to be a jokester about his condition. This allowed fans an extra look into his life, his personality, and his overall grace in front of the camera.Ĭampbell’s decision to tour while suffering from Alzheimer’s disease provided a powerful awareness of the illness. Glen Campbell as an Inspirationīesides being an award-winning artist, Campbell was also the host of his own show, “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour” on CBS from the late ’60s to early ’70s.

And it continued to flow out of him throughout the whole tour,” Kim Campbell told NPR. It’s miraculous, really, because he doesn’t think about what he’s gonna play. “Music has always just flowed out of him from some inner source. His grace and his humor made him that much more likable. He joked with the crowd, making fun of his own memory loss. The TelePrompter went out and left him unable to sing or remember his lyrics. One particularly moving moment in the documentary is when Campbell is on stage at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Mayer even performed a cover of “Gentle on My Mind” where he called it his “favorite song in the world.” He was put in a full-time care facility in Nashville before he passed at the age of 81.Īrtists like Keith Urban, Jake Owen, and John Mayer all praised the musician for his profound impact on the music industry. We were going home for the Christmas break, and that we were not gonna add more shows after that,” his wife, Kim Campbell said, according to Taste of Country. That night was really, really, really hard, and we just knew this was it. It was difficult leading up to the show, it was really stressful and difficult. The singer brought his wife and daughter with on his tour. It was a heartbreaking moment, yet showed all of the strength Campbell still had. He stood at the mic trying to clear his mind and pinpoint the lyrics to a song he had been singing since 1967. During the performance, you can see Campbell struggling in the beginning before powering through. The singer had started to see the effects of the disease while he was still touring. “When they turn around and find that you’re moving / On the back roads, you’re still on my memory / You’re ever gentle on my mind / Yes, you are, baby Gentle on my mind, yeah / Gentle on my mind, yeah.” His last song, so fitting yet so heartbreaking, seems like his own goodbye to having complete control over his genius and creative head. Glen Campbell would go on to fight Alzheimer’s disease for six long years before passing away on August 8, 2017. Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Glen Campbell – Gentle On My Mind (Last Live Performance 30-11-2012) ()