No Lament for ‘Lineman’

Glen Campbell is no stranger to success. The pop-country singer-guitarist has sold over 40 million records, landed 27 singles in the Top 10 and played with the likes of Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Merle Haggard and Nat King Cole. He also had his own popular TV variety show--”The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour” (1969-1971)--and acted alongside his idol, John Wayne, in the 1969 western “True Grit.”

But there’s more to his story than the good times. It’s about one man’s rise, fall and quest for redemption.

The Arkansas-born, Arizona-based Campbell has made some regrettable mistakes in his journey, including tabloid-displayed stumbles into alcohol and drug abuse. Equally disturbing were charges of domestic violence by ex-wife Tanya Tucker. (Conflicting accounts are given in tell-all autobiographies.)

What saved Campbell--who performs Sunday with his six-piece band at Crazy Horse in Santa Ana--from certain self-destruction, the singer says, was the right woman (his fourth wife, Kim, whom he married in 1981) and a spiritual reawakening, which led to the first of five Christian-themed albums, including two that earned Dove awards.

Today, a lower-profile Campbell has settled comfortably into a lifestyle that embraces both his faith and loved ones. He still performs live on occasion, but music-making is no longer the driving force it once was. Rather, spending time with Kim and the couple’s three children--ages 11, 13 and 15--has become his priority.

“You know, I was out of control, . . . I was a mess, but God has forgiven me,” Campbell said from his home in Phoenix. “I was very candid in my book because I want people to know the truth . . . and that people can change for the better.”

“Kim came into my life like this tremendous light in the dark . . . like the Lord sent her to save this pitiful, fallen soul. She’s . . . really just an incredible partner and mom to our kids. We’re just trying our best to raise them to be caring, responsible citizens.”

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Before his highly publicized troubles in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Campbell helped open a door to country music with the crossover appeal of “Gentle on My Mind” and Jimmy Webb-penned hits like “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Galveston” and “Wichita Lineman.”

Even more important than those hit singles, he said, was the mainstream exposure given to country acts through his network TV show.

“Faron Young already had a little bit of pop success, but for artists like Mel Tillis, Jerry Reed, Anne Murray . . . Waylon [Jennings] and Willie [Nelson] . . . and myself, none of us could have sold millions of records before appearing on prime-time TV. Oh boy, it was a tremendous boost to our careers.”

Though he hasn’t had a hit song since 1977’s “Southern Nights,” Campbell has influenced a generation of contemporary musicians, ranging in style from country to rock to even traditional Mexican folk music. Reba McEntire covered “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” for her recent “Starting Over” CD; Dwight Yoakam and Wade Hayes have recorded their own versions of “Wichita Lineman”; and for 1997’s “Lounge-a-Pallooza” compilation CD, “Wichita Lineman” was reinvented by Campbell, Michelle Shocked, the Texas Tornados, Sheila E. and the Mariachi Sol de Mexico orchestra.

Fans might even hear R.E.M. cover “Galveston” or “Wichita Lineman” when the rock group’s summer tour comes to the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and Irvine Meadows in August.

“I do feel a kinship with these newer bands and singers,” said Campbell, who turns 63 later this month. “I think what attracted them to these songs is the same thing that attracted me--the enduring quality of the material.

“Even though I’ve sung them more times than I care to remember, I can still get goose bumps. The words and the music are so memorable. . . . There’s an emotional part of these songs that sticks with you.”

His concerts are, not surprisingly, hit-oriented, nostalgia-driven affairs, with the bulk of the material drawn from his heyday in the late 1960s and 1970s. Still Campbell wants to record some new or previously unrecorded tunes by Jimmy Webb. The problem: finding a record company that shares his enthusiasm.

“I’ll probably have to look for an independent label because the majors have no real interest in someone my age,” Campbell said. “They just want young singers that look good on MTV and sound like everyone else out there.”

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In the meantime, Campbell plans to enjoy himself (“I’m getting too old to not be having fun!”), whether it’s on the golf course or performing at selected parties, as he did a few years ago at the late Gene Autry’s 90th birthday bash.

“It was so much fun to be a part of that celebration,” said Campbell, who joined Rosemary Clooney, Willie Nelson and Roy Clark in a star-studded benefit that raised $900,000 for Autry’s Museum of Western Heritage. “Back in the ‘60s, Gene kind of took me under his wing in Los Angeles,” recalled Campbell. “I played at Melody Ranch all the time, and to help me get heard, he’d put me on his local station (KTLA Channel 5) whenever he could. So believe me, I was thrilled to be able to give a little something back.”

* Glen Campbell plays Sunday at the Crazy Horse Steak House, 1580 Brookhollow Drive, Santa Ana. 6:30 and 9 p.m. $55-$58. (714) 549-1512.