Rhinestone Cowboy: An Autobiography

Rating:
Summary: Maybe more than you want to know.
Review: Campbell's book blows the lid off the glamour and aura that surround celebrities, revealing how decadent, arrogant and immature he and many of his fellow stars became, thanks to abuse of cocaine and alcohol. Naturally, Campbell's children paid the highest price. It is interesting to read how his parents never compromised on their values despite their poverty, yet he succumbed to substance abuse while having everything he'd ever dreamed of. His fast life certainly clashed with the timeless beauty of his music.

While he chronicles his personal decline, however, he never really discusses his professional decline. After "Southern Nights" hit No. 1, his Top 40 career went south, ironically just as other pop/country crossover artists like Ronnie Milsap, Kenny Rogers and Eddie Rabbitt were beginning to take off. He remained a chart contender in country until about 1990. His efforts to keep selling records and open doors at radio would have been interesting to read. It would also have been interesting to know what, if anything, many of his most famous songs meant to him. The discography would have been more informative had it included dates and chart positions.

Campbell's excellent taste in music is evident in the classics he recorded during the late 60's and early 70's. But some of his most self-congratulatory moments in the book come when he gushes about his bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace" and his annoying habit of inviting various not-famous family members on stage to jam with him. Having witnessed these peculiarities in person, I can say that these are not the high points of his show.

This book will answer some questions and inspire those who have followed his career. Reading about his childhood is especially enlightening. But Gen-Xers like me who learned about him from hearing his oldies on the radio may prefer blissful ignorance about some aspects of his career. I didn't particularly need to know about his stints in Vegas or his memories of cornballs like the Smothers Brothers, Pat Paulsen and Buck Trent.

Rating:
Summary: A Load of Compromising on the Road to his Horizon
Review: Glen Campbell has lived a very interesting life-some good and some bad. His autobiography does not hold back on either portion. From his impoverished Arkansas childhood through his many tumultuous marriages and country music superstardom to his regret-free faded status and ultimate peace, Glen lays it all on the (Wichita) line.

While he does not gloss over his own flaws, the dirty linen of some other players-most notably Tanya Tucker is likewise held up for all to see. Arguably, he should have been less open in revealing maligning details about her, but their relationship kept tabloid readers engrossed for years and it legitimately was a salient chapter in his life. Furthermore, he does not condemn Tanya despite attributing less than wholesome motivations to her interest in him. He seems very sincere when he writes of his one-time paramour "I'm inclined to pray for the woman with whom I shared a poisoned relationship. I have since found another love that offers not the threat of death but the promise of eternal life. I pray that Tanya might find that too."

As Glen experienced his twilight maturation, he achieved the rank of solid citizen. Becoming a Branson regular appropriately accentuates his embrace of Christianity and advocacy of traditional values. By spelling out his staunch opposition to abortion and opposing special rights for homosexuals, he takes some daring positions for a celebrity tell-all, but it is refreshing to see a performer courageously step out of rigid show biz boundaries.

One unintended drawback concerns some details of his childhood. Glen is to be commended for the tremendous respect he displays toward his parents and also for admitting his failures as a father to his older children-even accepting significant blame for his middle-aged son's drug problems. However, he relates some paternal behavior that shows his father possessed a cruel streak. From his laudatory portrayal it is easy to see that was not the image he wanted to present, and he would probably disagree with such an assessment. A more prudent tactic would have been to remain mum on some of these mean actions.

Overall, "Rhinestone Cowboy" is a well-orchestrated rendition of a child born into poor Southern Nights but who eventually went "riding out on a horse in a star-spangles rodeo."