Enchanting People of New Mexico - Glen Campbell

The Fresh Chile Company Podcast

I’m talking today about Glen Campbell, the famed musical artist, television, and movie star. He was the seventh of twelve children in Arkansas living a sharecropper’s family life. Growing up he shared a bed with three brothers. When he was four years of age his Uncle Boo got him a $5 Sears Roebuck guitar and taught him some chords and they became a musical group. Both were natural musicians and were self-taught. School was of little interest; what he cared about was learning songs by ear. If he heard the song a couple times, he could play it. He dropped out of school at age 14 and followed his brothers to Houston where he worked installing insulation and also working at a gas station. But his music was driving him. He got work on the local radio stations and even played in some nightclubs. Yes, he was underage. Then came his break. His Uncle Boo’s sister Judy Campbell married Dick Bills and they had a group in Albuquerque called Dick Bills and the Sandia Mountain Boys. In 1954 Glen Campbell moved to Albuquerque and was part of that group as the lead guitarist. They had a regular Children’s show on the local NBC affiliate KOB-TV Channel 4. He was part of five shows a week, so he was constantly learning new songs for the next show and also playing in nightclubs most nights.

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