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Glen Campbell and the Lone Ranger
Re: Glen Campbell and the Lone Ranger
I really really like the presentation of this, The video is clear, and the I am new to this forum, and I like the whole layout.. 
Re: Glen Campbell and the Lone Ranger
Thanks so much for sharing Jeff Dayton's insider guitar story, Jay.
Here's Glen, the 12-string Ovation Bluebird, and Jeff Dayton:
And the other band members in this vid are ____?
Here's Glen, the 12-string Ovation Bluebird, and Jeff Dayton:
And the other band members in this vid are ____?
Re: Glen Campbell and the Lone Ranger
Glen performed the WTO on his Ovation bluebird 12 string religiously. When that guitar was damaged by the airlines, Jeff Dayton had a Hamer 12 made for Glen, but spec'ed out the Ovation bridge (which terminated the strings on top of the guitar, instead of passing them through the back)....so that when he put the guitar on top of his head, it wouldn't pull his hair...a story shared with me by Jeff Dayton.
Re: Glen Campbell and the Lone Ranger
Related to the post below, Glen Campbell talks to Guitar Player magazine (Glen was on its board) in 1975 (tbc) about performing the "William Tell Overture" for his audiences, "The Lone Ranger" film clip, and also another instrumental, "Brazil".
- Glen Campbell_Guitar Player_year tbd.png (251.73 KiB) Viewed 5949 times
- GC_2.png (65.41 KiB) Viewed 5949 times
- GC_3.png (113.83 KiB) Viewed 5949 times
Glen Campbell and the Lone Ranger
Thank you for your post under "All Things Glen", David Brooks from Austin. Your post presents an opportunity to talk about Glen Campbell's "William Tell Overture" (aka the theme music to the "Lone Ranger")!
Brief background: The William Tell Overture was written by composer Gioachino Rossini for the finale of his last opera, "William Tell", that premiered in Paris, France in 1829.
Many, many years after its first premiere, an American serial radio program, "Lone Ranger", debuted in 1933. The serial's story was about a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who devoted his life to seeking truth and pursuing justice by fighting outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend, Tonto. By the late thirties, the radio program had become increasingly popular. Music was adapted from Rossini's composition (by then, royalty free and available in the public domain) and used for the Lone Ranger's theme music. This same theme later carried over to Lone Ranger serial movies and television shows. At the conclusion of each story, having righted wrongs and restored order, the Lone Ranger would gallop off the screen on his white stallion named Silver to the triumphant finale of Rossini's William Tell Overture, shouting "Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!"
During the 1950s and '60s, the Lone Ranger became compulsive television viewing for children and adults. With the long popularity of both the radio program and the television series, the Ranger's theme song based on the William Tell Overture became one of the most recognizable pieces in the history of classical music.
The characters of the Lone Ranger and his faithful friend, Tonto, became enduring icons of American culture. While numerous actors portrayed the Lone Ranger and Tonto during the era of radio through the last television program that aired, the two actors most closely associated with the roles are Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto.
Now Glen Campbell enters this story of the Lone Ranger. Glen possibly first heard the Lone Ranger theme on the radio in the early to mid-1940s and then later at his local movie house in Delight, Arkansas. As a young fan of westerns, Glen likely would have also been familiar with the official creed of the Lone Ranger:
That to have a friend, a man must be one.
That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for what is right.
That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
That 'this government of the people, by the people, and for the people' shall live always.
That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
That sooner or later...somewhere...somehow...we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change but truth, and that truth alone, lives on forever.
In my Creator, my country, my fellow man.
I can't help but think that Glen Campbell was influenced as a child by this creed--and later lived it.
Possibly, the Lone Ranger image influenced the 1975 music video for Glen's "The Rhinestone Cowboy" song. (There was another source of influence and maybe I can post about it under a separate topic.)
Do you see a connection here?
After Glen became a hugely popular solo artist with his own television show, he recorded the William Tell Overture and performed it at live concerts and on television broadcasts. Glen said that he knew he couldn't get up in front of a generally country music / country rock audience and perform classical music. However, he felt audiences would be receptive to a classical instrumental such as the blazing William Tell Overture. Glen was right, of course. His blistering guitar version (first acoustic, then electric) with an orchestra accompaniment became a favorite with concert goers, especially when Glen played part of the overture/theme music on a guitar balanced on his head!
At some point, Glen's artistic team created a video tribute to the "Lone Ranger" that was shown when Glen performed the William Tell Overture on televised programs such as The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour and The Donny and Marie Osmond Show, as well as during many live concerts. I thought I would post a link to a version of this video on YouTube. The poster on YouTube wrote:
The humor in this video is when we, the viewers, find out the identity of the "Lone Ranger".
Below, a performance of the William Tell Overture from 1974 with Glen on acoustic guitar:
One final note is a quip that has been around for at least 50 years: How do you define an "intellectual"? An intellectual is one "who can listen to the William Tell Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger." (I guess I am not an intellectual! lol!) This quote has been attributed to Jack Guin writing in the Denver Post in 1962. Variations of the quote have also been attributed to Dan Rather and David Frost. In any case, Rossini's operatic composition, the iconic character of the Lone Ranger and his rousing theme music, and Glen Campbell's scorching performances of the William Tell Overture are forever intertwined.
Do you have a favorite version of the William Tell Overture/Theme from the Lone Ranger performed by Glen Campbell? If so, we would love to hear it here (I can help you embed a video, if you'd like). Thanks!
BTW, for more information about the legends of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, the actors who portrayed these characters, and the real Texas Rangers, you may want to start with this website: http://weirdscifi.ratiosemper.com/loner ... egend.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
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Brief background: The William Tell Overture was written by composer Gioachino Rossini for the finale of his last opera, "William Tell", that premiered in Paris, France in 1829.
Many, many years after its first premiere, an American serial radio program, "Lone Ranger", debuted in 1933. The serial's story was about a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who devoted his life to seeking truth and pursuing justice by fighting outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend, Tonto. By the late thirties, the radio program had become increasingly popular. Music was adapted from Rossini's composition (by then, royalty free and available in the public domain) and used for the Lone Ranger's theme music. This same theme later carried over to Lone Ranger serial movies and television shows. At the conclusion of each story, having righted wrongs and restored order, the Lone Ranger would gallop off the screen on his white stallion named Silver to the triumphant finale of Rossini's William Tell Overture, shouting "Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!"
During the 1950s and '60s, the Lone Ranger became compulsive television viewing for children and adults. With the long popularity of both the radio program and the television series, the Ranger's theme song based on the William Tell Overture became one of the most recognizable pieces in the history of classical music.
The characters of the Lone Ranger and his faithful friend, Tonto, became enduring icons of American culture. While numerous actors portrayed the Lone Ranger and Tonto during the era of radio through the last television program that aired, the two actors most closely associated with the roles are Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto.
Now Glen Campbell enters this story of the Lone Ranger. Glen possibly first heard the Lone Ranger theme on the radio in the early to mid-1940s and then later at his local movie house in Delight, Arkansas. As a young fan of westerns, Glen likely would have also been familiar with the official creed of the Lone Ranger:
That to have a friend, a man must be one.
That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for what is right.
That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
That 'this government of the people, by the people, and for the people' shall live always.
That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
That sooner or later...somewhere...somehow...we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change but truth, and that truth alone, lives on forever.
In my Creator, my country, my fellow man.
I can't help but think that Glen Campbell was influenced as a child by this creed--and later lived it.
Possibly, the Lone Ranger image influenced the 1975 music video for Glen's "The Rhinestone Cowboy" song. (There was another source of influence and maybe I can post about it under a separate topic.)
Do you see a connection here?
- The Lone Ranger with his horse Silver.jpg (10.43 KiB) Viewed 5998 times
- Glen Campbell - The Rhinestone Cowboy_gcf.jpg (16.55 KiB) Viewed 5996 times
- GC Performing William Tell Overture aka Theme from The Lone Ranger.jpg (35.11 KiB) Viewed 6004 times
This is a music video I edited for Glen Campbell. it was supposed to be used on a tour of Australia in 1991, but sadly, was not completed in time for him to take, so this particular video was never used (Glen has used this footage in concerts, throughout the years). The footage is from his old TV show, and was edited together with some clips from a Gene Autrey movie. Look for a quick cameo from Lone Ranger kimosabe Jay Silverheels. -- David Simpson
The humor in this video is when we, the viewers, find out the identity of the "Lone Ranger".
Below, a performance of the William Tell Overture from 1974 with Glen on acoustic guitar:
One final note is a quip that has been around for at least 50 years: How do you define an "intellectual"? An intellectual is one "who can listen to the William Tell Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger." (I guess I am not an intellectual! lol!) This quote has been attributed to Jack Guin writing in the Denver Post in 1962. Variations of the quote have also been attributed to Dan Rather and David Frost. In any case, Rossini's operatic composition, the iconic character of the Lone Ranger and his rousing theme music, and Glen Campbell's scorching performances of the William Tell Overture are forever intertwined.
Do you have a favorite version of the William Tell Overture/Theme from the Lone Ranger performed by Glen Campbell? If so, we would love to hear it here (I can help you embed a video, if you'd like). Thanks!
BTW, for more information about the legends of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, the actors who portrayed these characters, and the real Texas Rangers, you may want to start with this website: http://weirdscifi.ratiosemper.com/loner ... egend.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
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