In 1967 Glen Campbell broke through to become a household name following his hit version of Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." With follow-up hits "I Wanna Live" and "Wichita Lineman" paving the way for his enormously successful CBS variety show The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, Campbell rode a trail of hit singles well into the 1970s. This hits collection reflects his wide-ranging repertoire and flair for mixing old and new. Though his spin on John Hartford's "Gentle on My Mind" barely broke the Top 30 in 1967, it gained immortality as the Goodtime Hour theme song. With the now-classic "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Southern Nights," Campbell's ability to create chart-topping country singles that resonated with non-country fans was years ahead of its time. Tackling songs forever associated with others (the Everly Brothers' "Let It Be Me" and "All I Have to do Is Dream" and Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe") can be risky, but Campbell's strong, passionate interpretations put them across. --Rich Kienzle
