BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX
“By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is a song written by Jimmy Webb. American country music singer Glen Campbell covered the song on his album of the same name. Released on Capitol Records in 1967, Campbell’s version topped RPM ’s Canada Country Tracks, reached number two on Billboard ’ s Hot Country Singles chart, and won two awards at the 10th Annual Grammys. BMI named it the third most performed song from 1940 to 1990. Frank Sinatra called it “the greatest torch song ever written”. (More from Wikipedia)
Glen Campbell handled the lead guitar on the first single by the Rip Chords, “Here I Stand”. Most people know of Campbell’s string of fine hits in the mid-1960’s – “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”, “Wichita Lineman”, “Gentle on My Mind”, “Galveston”, and many more – but might not realize that he was one of the best session guitarists around for many years previously and had the most successful individual career among the loose aggregation of session players known as the Wrecking Crew. Campbell recently embarked on a farewell tour after acknowledging that he is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
(July 2011)
