Pop and country star Glen Campbell dies aged 81

TRIBUTES to American singer, guitarist, songwriter, television host and actor Glen Campbell, who died in Nashville on 8th August aged 81, are continuing to flow in. Jimmy Webb, who wrote many of Campbell's hits including "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Wichita Linemen", said, "People will realise what an extraordinary genius Glenn really was," while Recording Academy president Neil Portnow called him "an American Treasure." During his 50 years in show business Campbell released almost a hundred albums accumulating 12 Gold discs, four Platinum albums and one double-Platinum album.

Among the gospel projects he released were 1970's 'Oh Happy Day', 1973's 'I Knew Jesus (Before He Was A Star)', 1985's 'No More Night', 1989's 'Favorite Hymns' and 2004's 'Love Is The Answer: 24 Songs Of Faith, Hope And Love'. Campbell's final album 'Adios' featured 12 songs from his final 2012-13 sessions. The album was released two months prior to his death.

Campbell was raised in the Church of Christ and joined a Baptist church in Phoenix along with his wife Kim. In a 2008 interview they said that they had been adherents of Messianic Judaism for two decades and attended the local synagogue every Saturday along with celebrating Jewish holidays and Christmas. Campbell became a patient of an Alzheimer's long-term care and treatment facility in 2014. The Country Music Television Channel have aired a tribute to Campbell's life and other networks are now lining up "to honour his life and brilliant legacy."