Glen Campbell diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, plans one more album and tour

By Steven Hyden | June 23, 2011 | 7:22pm

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Glen Campbell diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, plans one more album and tour

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Country legend Glen Campbell revealed in an interview yesterday with People that he has Alzheimer’s disease and is planning a farewell tour and album. Campbell’s wife Kim said the couple wanted to go public with the 75-year-old singer’s condition in case “he flubs a lyric or gets confused on stage, I wouldn’t want people to think, 'What's the matter with him? Is he drunk?'" The logic behind the announcement seems a little funny and entirely practical, and it certainly adds another level of anticipation for Campbell’s forthcoming record, Ghost On The Canvas.

But even without the tragic subtext, Ghost sounds like a fascinating project, with Campbell tackling new songs by Paul Westerberg, Robert Pollard, and Jakob Dylan, and backed by a superstar cast of players that includes Billy Corgan, Dick Dale, Chris Isaak, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, and The Dandy Warhols. The album is due out Aug. 30. In the meantime, enjoy one of the greatest sad-bastard songs ever.