Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images
Glen Campbell's Los Angeles swan song came with a high-wattage send-off Sunday night (June 24). Two hours before the legend took the stage at the Hollywood Bowl, a cavalcade of musicians -- some contemporaries, some acolytes -- paid homage to the Grammy winner, providing the audience with a broad expanse of his 50+ year career.
The show opened with local favorites Dawes playing a few of their own hits, which feature the same pop-country hybrid that made Campbell so successful, before launching into one of his earliest hits, 1968's "Dreams of the Everyday Housewife." Even if the lyrics are a little antiquated, the lilt of the melody remains enchanting.
Though best known for his plethora of hits, before Campbell launched his solo career he was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a now historic collective of '60s session musicians who backed everyone from The Monkees to the Righteous Brothers, and he joined the Beach Boys for a short stint. Dandy Warhols' lead singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor sang sonorous versions of The Monkees' "Daydream Believer" and "Last Train to Clarksville," both of which Campbell played on. However, his deep voice made it sound like The Addams Family's manservant Lurch was saluting Campbell. It was an interesting interpretation to say the least. Lucinda Williams, Jenny Lewis, Jackson Browne and Kris Kristofferson all weighed in as well, before everyone joined together for a rousing version of Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas," which, yes, Campbell also played on.
The crowd was appreciative, but it saved the bulk of its joy for Campbell himself. Last year, the legendary entertainer announced that
