Rhinestone Cowboy: An Autobiography

by Glen Campbell, Tom Carter

With extraordinary candor intended to set the record straight, one of music's most popular performers tells of his sojourn amid the decadence and destructive trappings of fame - the bucks, the booze, the cocaine, the women - and of the religious awakening and unconditionally loving marriage that literally saved his life. Glen Campbell's boy-next-door persona belied his hedonistic, near-fatal lifestyle. It all started like a dream - the rise from ruthless poverty as one of twelve children in a small Arkansas town and the against-all struggle for stardom, first as a brilliant studio musician (behind artists such as Sinatra, Elvis, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole), then as a solo performer who in the sixties and seventies sold some 45 million records (including the timeless classics "Wichita Lineman, " "Gentle on My Mind, " "By the Time I Get to Phoenix, " and, of course, "Rhinestone Cowboy") and hosted his own top-rated TV show. Too quickly, though, the dream became a nightmare of mad spending, multiple marriages, and abusive and all-too-public affairs, as well as wildly escalating alcohol and cocaine dependencies that threatened not only his career but his very existence. Now a Christian and in recovery, he has stepped back into the spotlight a whole man at last. With the help of bestselling author Tom Carter, Glen Campbell has given us a book that is both a star-studded show-biz memoir and a spiritual testimony that radiates great faith and emotion. Rhinestone Cowboy is his personal gift of thanks to the millions who have supported him through decades of good times and bad - and to the vast new audience who have grown to know him through his frequent appearances on cable television's 700Club and other Christian TV shows. "A lot of people are going to be surprised by my story, and I hope that a lot are going to be inspired, " Campbell declares. "All I know for sure is that it's time to tell it. And as honestly as I can, that's just what I've gone and done."

Genres: Biography, Music, Memoir, Nonfiction, Autobiography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Glen Travis Campbell was an American singer, songwriter, musician, television host, and actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting a music and comedy variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Houron CBS television, from 1969 through 1972.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was the paperback I took for my day of jury duty. One of the first singles I ever bought for my record player at home was Rhinestone Cowboy and my parents also seemed to like Glen Campbell's music.

I was disappointed in this "tell all" book. He was taken advantage of a fair bit because he was very young and straight off the farm. He fell heavily into drugs the next three decades because he was "in the wrong crowd". God finally sent him a xtian woman several decades younger and she endured his abuse and neglect until *od straightened him out. The book ends with a rant against abortion. Needless to say, I barely even wanted to review this book.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This poor man has alzheimers. Thought I'd read his book before it gets the best of him...
Glen sang at the Grammy’s this year just after his recent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. I’ve had this autobiography lying around for a while so I decided to read it. My thoughts about Glen Campbell before I read this book was of a man who was clean cut, kind of a dork, an excellent musician, a guy who played a part in True Grit , supposedly stole Mac Davis’s wife and who dated Tanya Tucker. That’s about all I knew. I love “Witchita Lineman” it’s one of my all time favorite songs. After reading this book, my impression is definitely different. Glen was from a very large farming family from Arkansas. He had 11 brothers and sisters. He learned how to play the guitar from his Uncle. Music seemed to be an obsession with Glen. He was so good, he was able to begin to make a living at it. He was a great musician, but horrible at relationships and booze and drugs had entered his life. Glen has been married 4 times and has 8 kids. His life was drugs, booze and music, with little time for the women and children in his life. He had a notorious affair with Tanya Tucker that lasted about a year and a half. He obviously does not think highly of her and the relationship he had with her. According to Glen, she was wild and manipulative and their relationship was drug induced. The heavy drug and alcohol use by Glen was surprising to me. He did not look like an alcoholic or a drug user. His last marriage seemed to be the right one. He is still married to Kim. I thought Campbell came across a little arrogant in the book, especially toward the end where he spouted his political views. Not to mention the fact that he was supposedly drug and alcohol free when this book was published but in 2003 he was arrested for DWI. The book is interesting, however, I found myself getting totally turned off by tone that was coming thru his narration. He didn’t seem as sorry and regretful as he was trying to convey. His daughter Debby commented in the Epilogue “ he thinks everyone has to live the life of a Christian”. Glen is very religious but it seems almost phony because of the drug and alcohol abuse and he didn’t seem to be a very stable or a very nice person.

[JJessica KennedyDAWS · Rating 1 out of 5]

A trek through Glen Campbell's life revealed things I didn't know. He doesn't stop short and gloss over the negative ray from the unflattering choices he made. His return to his Christian roots was relatable. Unlike many biographies I've read that the person becomes a Christian or rekindles their faith he doesn't spout a lot of Bible verses, and it felt like he had a "realistic" relationship with God.
All in all it was a good book, but not one I'll probably read again.

[Ruci Tukana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very frank piece of Campbell's life. I admire
his passion for music, his passion for God and the open book affairs with his string of women.

[Anne Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally got around to reading it, years after his death from Alzheimer's.
I specifically wanted to hear "his side" of the Tanya Tucker romance.

He lived hard.
He sang well.
He came home to Christ.
He finally found the Right way.

Thanks, Glen, for everything! My favorite song is "Southern Nights!"

[Charles Lovelace, III · Rating 4 out of 5]

After visiting with two of Glen's brothers and visiting his gravesite, I thought I would read about his life. Interesting, and I learned some things I did not know. I knew he had some hard times with drugs and alcohol, I just didn't know how bad.

[Glenn McKissic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glen wrote frankly and openly about his rise to fame and his struggles, along the way, with his demons: alcohol and drugs. He emphasized how he grew in his faith because of his setbacks. I found the book to be a solid chronicle of his life and a very good read.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have given it 4 stars except that all the golf stories about other people became boring.

[Donn Urban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredible musician...mediocre book. I had to push myself to finish it.

[Robyn Obermeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

i learned a lot about Glenns music and life and really enjoyed the book!

[paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book written by a complicated, troubled, talented and naive man right after he converted to evangelical Christianity

[Debora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ughhh… mostly trudge through his addictions to end with his born again life. Glad he quit his addictions but once achieved- his judgment & intolerance is sad.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great memoir on Glen. I’m glad that he was honest about the life he used to live and the way he now lives.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't know why I picked this up. I like a few of his songs--I LOVE "Gentle on my Mind"--but he didn't write them, so they don't reflect on him in any way. I thought there would be more about his early days as a sort of folkie and playing with the Beach Boys, but that was barely mentioned. There was a lot more about booze, cocaine, sex, hangovers, pot, whiskey, wine, women, blah blah blah, until he found Jesus with his fourth wife. There were sections at the end devoted to his opinions about abortion (against) and prayer in school (for), so I really just skimmed those. That's not what I wanted out of this book.

It was pretty well written--not by him--but his ghostwriter needs to learn the difference between "compose" and "comprise." They're not synonyms.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never put anyone on a pedestal. I knew a lot about the celebrity that was and is Glen Campbell. I had heard about his troubles, loves and music. So, when i read this autobiography, I was not surprised. Mr. Campbell comes forth with a confession of the demons he fought and (sadly) is still fighting. He speaks of his addictions to drugs, fame, alcohol and disrespect for himself. He talks of his simple beginnings and his love of the guitar. He speaks of learning to play and listening to the Grande Ole Oprey. He is candid and at times impersonal about his life. i believe this is because he was still healing at the time he wrote this book. There are stories of redemption, fall and redemption. He is honest, forthright and blunt. Perhaps, he is too blunt but this is his story and his feelings. It was fascinating read about a public persona and a country music legend. Given that he now has health issues, this is a testament to man and his life.

[Andy Pullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this tell all autobiography country music singer Glen Campbell, tells of his life, his carrer in music. He tells of the sucess of music and the failures of life. He is frank and to the point leaving nothing out including the low point of his life when he was addicted to crack cocaine to the point where he turned to Jesus Christ to save him.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look back on the life/career of the "Rhinestone Cowboy". It's a decent overview; however, I would have preferred a deeper look into his life & music. Further, I could have done without the "Born Again" chapter; but, I guess that is a part of who Mr. Campbell is.

[Dayva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drug abuse in the country western world.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting autobiography of Glen Campbell. Showed the good and the bad in his life and relationships.

[Damon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good. A little preachy at the end.

[Shannon Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorites. Just wish he would have stayed clean and sober.

[Bonnie Ainsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a good and fair self-assessment of of Glen Campbell both as an artist, and as a person. He was as honest about himself as he could be, given that like everyone else he had his own demons to battle. I enjoyed this book very much.