Glen Campbell’s New Manager Says He’s Got ‘Lots’ of Unreleased Music
Though Glen Campbell is in the late stages of Alzheimer's Disease, there's still good news: He has plenty of unreleased music, and through the new partnership of TKO Artist Management, Campbell's legacy will stay strong -- and fans could hear new music from him.
TKO Artist Management, whose clients include Toby Keith, Krystal Keith, Ashley Campbell, Chris Janson and more, are excited about the partnership, which owner and president TK Kimbrell says is much more than simply professional.
"He's one of the greatest talents to ever walk the face of the earth," Kimbrell says in a press release. "He's a great guy and a good friend."
They met in the late '60s and early '70s at Campbell's shows when he was, as Kimbrell says, "a kid." He adds, "Professionally, I met him at Cleveland's Front Row Theater in 1981. I was playing bass for Steve Wariner and we were in town for a radio show. We caught Glen's concert that night, went back to the hotel after and sat around with Glen jamming and talking all night long. He moved to Phoenix about that time and I would go over to the house to play golf with him."
This addition to their relationship is, in a sense, making Kimbrell the steward of Campbell's legacy.
She's taking over this aspect of Campbell's career for Stan Schneider who's been Campbell's right-hand man for more than five decades, and it was Schneider's idea. "I've helped on a few projects over the years," Kimbrell says. "Stan is Glen's age and he asked a while back if I would consider taking over and the family blessed that." Schneider will continue as Campbell's business manager.
Of course, one of the most exciting parts of the partnership is the news that followed: "There's a ton of unreleased music and the more you get into it the more you find," Kimbrell says. "There were years Glen played guitar or sang on 500-600 records per year. There are unreleased recordings of him with [famed LA studio musicians] The Wrecking Crew - lots of them." New music from the famed musician? It's pretty much priceless, especially as his Alzheimer's continues to progress.
Campbell's "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" was expected to be his last-ever released song, so the news of unreleased music will be music to fans' ears, literally.
In addition to the new music, fans can look forward to a biopic on Campbell which is in the works with director James Keach. He is the man behind I'll Be Me which documented Campbell's struggle with Alzheimer's, and he produced Walk the Line.
Though Campbell is in Stage 7 of the disease, and he's been battling it since 2011, Kimbrell says, "He seems really happy. It's hard for him to put words together. Physically, he looks healthy -- like the Glen Campbell we all know. He smiles a lot, and loves seeing his wife Kim and the family. They are always there caring for him."
"My goal is to make sure Glen's musical legacy lives on forever and is passed down for generations to come."
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