Country Pop Bites: Glen Campbell – March 17

Did you know that on this day in Country Music History in 1969 Capitol released Glen Campbell's "Galveston"--the single and the album?

It’s true! Check out the video.

Here are 5 things about Glen Campbell that you might not have known.

• He was born April 22, 1936 in Billstown, Arkansas, one of twelve children.
• At the age of 4, his father bought him a $5 Sears and Roebuck guitar; within a few years, Campbell was appearing as a paid act and performing guest spots on local radio stations.
• He dropped out of high school and headed west. He joined the Sandia Mountain Boys (a band founded by his uncle, Dick Bills) and soon became a popular performer on local television and radio shows in New Mexico.
• In 1965, following Brian Wilson's retirement, Campbell was invited to tour with The Beach Boys as a temporary bassist.
• Beginning in the late 1970s, while dating singer Tanya Tucker, Campbell's abuse of cocaine and alcohol began to take a toll on his career. The couple's explosive relationship and flagging record sales made Campbell a mainstay in the gossip pages. However, after a few years of touring in the 1980s, Campbell left Los Angeles, successfully overcame his drug habit, and became a born-again Christian.