Glen Campbell Honored With Memorable All-Star Medley at ACM Honors
Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley and Toby Keith shared the 2016 ACM Honors stage to perform a one-of-a-kind medley of classic Glen Campbell songs to honor the country legend's career, which has spanned six decades.
The four gentleman individually sang their favorite Campbell hit, beginning with Shelton, who kicked off the performance with his rendition of "Southern Nights." Bentley took the stage next, guitar in hand, to deliver "Gentle on My Mind." Campbell's daughter, Ashley, was onstage too to pay tribute to her father.
Urban entered with a signature guitar solo and transitioned into a cover of "Wichita Lineman." Keith was the last of the four to perform, wowing both the Ryman crowd and CBS television audience with his version of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix."
To wrap up the medley, Shelton, Bentley, Urban and Keith joined together to deliver the Campbell classic, "Rhinestone Cowboy."
Campbell, who is suffering from Alzheimer's, was honored with the Career Achievement Award. His wife and children accepted the recognition on his behalf.
“It’s just really sad to think that he’s in as great a shape as he is physically, except for that debilitating affliction. But, man! He was one of the greatest guitar players of all time, and I don’t think most people realize that,” Keith shares about Campbell's condition. “I think most people saw him on the Glen Campbell Good Time Hour and some movies, and they just thought he’s a singer that sings some pop country. But Glen was one of the greatest guitar players of all time too, and even when he couldn’t remember his songs he could still play them without remembering the words."
2016 ACM Honors aired in a television special on CBS Friday night (Sept. 9).
Glen Campbell Through the Years