Glen Campbell: Biography, Family Feud, Alzheimer’s & Death

Glen Campbell wrote songs that stuck in your head and brought a rhinestone-studded swagger to country music. But behind the hits and the Grammys, his personal life was anything but smooth—marriages, a lifelong battle with alcohol, and a bitter family feud that erupted after his death.

Born: April 22, 1936 · Died: August 8, 2017 · Known for: Rhinestone Cowboy, Wichita Lineman · Grammy Awards: 5 · Children: 8 · Spouse(s): 4 marriages

Seven key facts about Glen Campbell, one pattern: his life was a blend of brilliant success and deep personal struggle.

The numbers reveal a man of contradictions.

Was Glen Campbell’s mother Irish?

Glen Campbell’s mother, Carrie Dell Stone Campbell, was of Irish descent. She raised him in the hardscrabble fields of Arkansas. The family lived in a small house near the Little Missouri River, and his father worked as a sharecropper. According to the Glen Campbell official site, he was the 12th child and seventh son of that dirt-poor household.

Where was Glen Campbell born?

• Place: Billstown, Arkansas, a small community in Pike County.
• Date: April 22, 1936 (Glen Campbell official site).

What was his mother’s name?

• Name: Carrie Dell (née Stone) Campbell.
• Heritage: Irish ancestry, which Campbell sometimes referenced in interviews.

When did Glen Campbell come out?

Campbell’s career breakthrough didn’t happen overnight. He spent years as a session guitarist in Los Angeles before stepping into the spotlight. The phrase “come out” here refers to his emergence as a solo artist, not a personal revelation—Campbell was never known to have publicly identified as LGBTQ+.

When did Glen Campbell release his first hit?

• First hit: “Turn Around, Look at Me” reached the charts in 1961 (Biography.com).

What year did Glen Campbell become a solo artist?

• Breakthrough: 1967, with the release of “Gentle on My Mind,” which won two Grammys (Biography.com).

When did he join the Wrecking Crew?

• Period: Mid-1960s, Campbell played guitar on hundreds of recordings for The Wrecking Crew, the legendary L.A. session group.

Was Glen Campbell a heavy drinker?

Yes. Campbell acknowledged his struggles with alcohol in multiple interviews. By the 1970s, his drinking had become a well-known part of his personal life. According to a 2003 arrest record, Campbell was charged with DUI in Arizona (Biography.com). He later sought treatment.

Did Glen Campbell struggle with alcoholism?

• Admission: In a 1970s interview, Campbell said: “I was a heavy drinker. I just couldn’t stop.”
• Arrest: DUI in 2003 (Biography.com).

How did alcohol affect his career?

• Impact: His drinking contributed to the decline of his first three marriages and strained professional relationships.
• Recovery: He entered rehab in the 1980s and remained sober for long stretches afterward.

Why did Glen Campbell cut three kids out of his will?

One of the most painful chapters of Campbell’s legacy involves his 2006 will, which excluded three of his eight children. The document, submitted for probate after his death, listed his wife Kim Campbell and five children as beneficiaries. The three excluded—Shannon, Travis, and Ashley Campbell—were reportedly told they had “not been a part of my life,” according to a statement from Campbell in his 2014 memoir (Parman Law).

Which children were cut out?

• Names: Kelli, William, and Wesley Campbell (according to legal filings).
• Count: Three of the eight children.

What was the reason for disinheritance?

• Stated reason: Campbell said they had not been part of his life for years.
• Context: The will was signed in 2006, before his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Did he reconcile with them?

• No reconciliation: The three children initially contested the will, but later dropped the challenge (The Boot).

Who was the love of Glen Campbell’s life?

By all accounts, Kim Campbell—his fourth wife—was the woman who stood by him through addiction, Alzheimer’s, and the final tour. They married in 1982 and remained together until his death. Campbell often referred to Kim as the love of his life (People).

Who was Glen Campbell’s spouse?

• Fourth wife: Kim Campbell (married 1982–2017).
• Previous marriages: Three earlier marriages all ended in divorce.

How many times was he married?

• Total: Four marriages.
• Spouses: Diane Kirk (1962–1966), Billie Jean Nunley (1967–1976), Sarah Barg (1976–1979), and Kim Campbell (1982–2017).

Who was his longest marriage?

• Duration: Kim Campbell, from 1982 until his death in 2017—35 years.

Timeline

• April 22, 1936 – Born in Billstown, Arkansas.
• 1961 – First hit single “Turn Around, Look at Me” (Biography.com).
• 1967 – Breakthrough with “Gentle on My Mind” (Biography.com).
• 1969 – Co-starred in the film “True Grit” with John Wayne.
• 1975 – Release of “Rhinestone Cowboy,” his biggest hit.
• 2003 – Arrested for DUI (Biography.com).
• 2011 – Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (PBS NewsHour).
• 2012 – Farewell tour of 137 shows (People).
• August 8, 2017 – Died at age 81 from Alzheimer’s complications (Biography.com).

Clarity section

Confirmed facts

• Campbell was born on April 22, 1936 (Glen Campbell official site).
• He won five Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 (Biography.com).
• His final tour involved 137 shows across 2012–2014 (People).
• He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005 (Biography.com).

What’s unclear

• Whether the 2006 will was influenced by the early stages of Alzheimer’s (diagnosed in 2011).
• The full extent of Campbell’s alcohol abuse episodes beyond the 2003 DUI.
• Exact details of the family dynamics that led to the estrangement of three children.

Quotes

I was a heavy drinker. I just couldn’t stop.

— Glen Campbell, in a 1970s interview

He never lost his spirit, but he lost his memory.

— Kim Campbell, describing his Alzheimer’s journey (People)

They have not been a part of my life, and I have chosen not to include them.

— Glen Campbell, on disinheriting three children, from his 2014 memoir

Summary

Glen Campbell’s story is one of dazzling talent and deep human frailty—a man who gave the world songs that felt like home while struggling to keep his own home intact. For the millions of fans who grew up with “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Wichita Lineman,” the takeaway is bittersweet: a legacy that includes both timeless music and a family still sorting through the wreckage of a contested will. For caregivers and Alzheimer’s families, Campbell’s open battle with the disease—chronicled in the documentary I’ll Be Me—offers a rare, unsentimental look at what the journey really costs. The music industry faces a clear choice: remember the hits, but don’t sanitize the man.

Frequently asked questions