Legendary country singer Glen Campbell passed away in 2017, but his iconic voice lives on in a new album. Glen Campbell Sings for the King is a collection of songs sung by Campbell in the style of Elvis Presley.
From 1964-1968, when Campbell was launching his own career, he also recorded demos of songs written by Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne (Presley’s most prolific songwriters). Campbell was an excellent Elvis impersonator, and his demos gave Presley an idea of whether he would like to record the songs himself. He recorded the songs in between touring with the Beach Boys and working on his own music.
It’s a rare crossover between two musical legends. Although the two were friends for many years, Campbell only officially appeared on one Elvis album when he played guitar on Viva Las Vegas. After Campbell’s music broke out, Presley recorded a cover of Campbell’s classic “Gentle On My Mind” for his album From Elvis in Memphis.
The recordings were originally intended for Presley’s ears only—until they were recently unearthed by Stephen Auerbach. Twelve of the 18 tracks on the album were eventually recorded by Presley including hits like “Easy Come, Easy Go” and “Clambake.” It also features a rendition of the Gospel classic “We Call on Him” featuring Campbell and Presley’s vocals.
“Elvis and I were brought up the same humble way, picking cotton and looking at the north end of a south-bound mule,” Campbell said of Presley. “I saw him in the rough [at an early concert]…He was so electrifying.”
Glen Campbell Sings for the King is available wherever music is sold.
