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Is Glen Campbell on "Guitar Gold"? Let's Discuss!

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Dee
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Dee »

Cowpoke, perhaps the digital download (2014) was possible / allowable because this music is now in the public domain? So, permission would not have been required?

Thanks for providing Glen's general whereabouts in early '57.


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Cowpoke
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Cowpoke »

Well, as I posted in Check Out This Link, Glen is not always the most reliable source about his own recordings. And he doesn't have to be either. That's what a forum like this is also for, to research things like this together.

Then Dee wrote back:
Well, Cowpoke, in regard to your CustomTone post below, you might have hit on something feasible: Glen might have had unknown reasons for not acknowledging the Guitar Gold album.
It might have been another Starday situation. To start with, where was Glen Campbell in late 1957, early 1958? Would it have been possible that he was in Houston, Texas during this time period?
Well Glen was probably still a Sandia Mountain Boy touring New Mexico, Texas etc. and perhaps also touring with his own band. Houston is a place that Glen regularly visited anyway, because his family had moved there. So, yes, Glen being in Houston late 1957 seems like a plausible scenario.

One other thing that crossed my mind. If Glen was not on this recording and he sued Customtone in the late 70s, how come this recording is released again in 2014, with his name attached? I really wonder what happened with that lawsuit. Did it take place, did they settle, who won?

The other big question: who was Stan Capps? I never was able to find anything about him!


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Dee
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Re: Check Out This Link

Post by Dee »

Well, Cowpoke, in regard to your CustomTone post below, you might have hit on something feasible: Glen might have had unknown reasons for not acknowledging the Guitar Gold album.
It might have been another Starday situation.

To start with, where was Glen Campbell in late 1957, early 1958? Would it have been possible that he was in Houston, Texas during this time period?

(Maybe these Guitar Gold posts belong in a topic of their own!)

Dee


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Dee
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Dee »

Sorry, Cowpoke, another Glen Campbell fan and researcher who has had other research on Glen's discography published, discounted this album as Glen's. He asked Glen about it after a concert, giving him the album and other albums to sign. Glen looked at the CustomTone and said "that's not mine." This happened years ago.
However, if you have information to the contrary, please post it!


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Cowpoke
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Cowpoke »

Thanks Mike, for looking it up. Very interesting, I never heard before he sued Customtone. The strange thing is, the album had been out for more than 10 years then! Seems a little late to sue, but maybe the album had been in reprint around the time Glen was interviewed by Jan. Of course I understand Glen wasn't happy about the album. But based purely on what I hear, I would say it's Glen. Plus... if it's not Glen, the world must have missed out on a very talented unknown guitarist! Thanks again Mike. I love this kind of info!


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Mike Joyce
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Mike Joyce »

Cowpoke/Dee,
I have managed to find my copies of the Glen Campbell Appreciation Society newsletters and from no 3 dated January 1979.there is a section called "Society snippets and tantalising titbits" This is what it said "The Customtone Records album Guitar Gold is NOT Glen's first stereo recording even though the sleeve states it is. Glen has told Pennsylvannian correspondent Jan Murray that he doesn't play on the LP at all, and has sued the company concerned".
That was all there was on this item. I don't know why that stuck in my head but at least I am happy I wasn't mistaken about what I thought.
Having said all that, this is only one source, so it would need checking out by someone who could get to the bottom of this mystery.
I noticed another item in the "Gen on Glen" newsletters of the eighties , where Glen is talking about his Children Ashley, Cal, and Shannon and saying how talented they are and hoping he will be able to back them when he's in his seventies.
I thought how poignant that was knowing the situation now.
I must say its great just to read some of these old news letters and be reminded of the things that were taking place back then, when I was younger than today.


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Dee
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Dee »

Hi, Mike,
In answer to your question, yes, I purchased "Guitar Gold" and may now have...guitar pewter.
We will see! Surely more information and debate will surface here about this album.
Glad you'll forgo "El Capitan"!
Dee


Mike Joyce
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Mike Joyce »

Hi Cowpoke,
It was quite a long time ago I read this, so I need to see if I can find the details again. You may be right but I felt sure this was the album in question. I must say its strange that these other albums were contested if he really was on them.
I think if I recall correctly that at the time he and Capitol were promoting Glen as was, with sophisticated albums .This older material which may not have been up to scratch was felt to be damaging to his image at a very critical time in his career.
I will see if I can find the info and get back to you ASAP.
Mike
Hi Dee, a very good post from you on this. Do you also have the album? I always liked the image of El Capitan in Yosemite.
I have read books about climbers who have got to the top of that thing without using ropes. I think I might give that one a miss.LOL


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Cowpoke
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Cowpoke »

Mike,
are you sure it was this album that Glen sued against? I do know he sued against the release of those Starday albums containing demos Glen made early during his session days, claiming he was not on them: "Country Soul" and "Country Music Star No. 1". But eventually, he settled out of court (and he was on them after all). He also sued against a rerelease of those recording he made as The In Group "The Swinging 12 String". But he was on those too! Plus, when you compare the guitar playing on Country Gold and the playing on Dylan Jazz by the Gene Norman Group (of which Glen was also a part, according to the liner notes on the back), the similariy is striking (to my ears at least).


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Dee
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Re: New DVD / CD Releases

Post by Dee »

Agreed, Mike: BUYER BEWARE!

I think that "Guitar Gold" / "Featuring Glen Campbell / Glen's First Stereo Recording" was a hoax, released by mail order only (apparently), by Customtone Records in Dallas, Texas, after Glen became famous as a solo artist. KOA would know more about it. I believe he extensively researched this album. Also, arlw!

The front cover does not have a photo of Glen on it. The photo credit is: "El Capitan" in Yosemite National Park, the world's largest monolith of exposed granite" per the photo credit on the back cover.

The back cover of this LP features an article and photo of Glen and his Uncle Dick Bills, dated "Wed., Sept. 25, 1968", from the Roswell Daily Record.

Following are the liner notes:
"One winter evening in 1958, fate, chance, the stars or what have you, brought together two great artists at Van's Ballroom in Houston, Texas. Stan Capps and his group were entertaining that evening when Glen Campbell wandered in. After a few minutes, Glen Campbell, impressed by Stan Capps' piano, asked if he could sit in with the group. Stan readily agreed and they had a memorable session that evening. After the session, Stan told Glen about Customtone Studio's new stereo recording technique. The following day Stan and Glen got together at the studio so Glen could hear himself for the first time in stereo.

The best music in the world occurs when musicians play just for themselves. That's what happened that day. Each of these two artists admiring the other yet striving to out perform the other creates a study in sound that is incomparable.

The results from this once in a lifetime live session have been captured for you in this unique collector's album."
A testimonial about this album by Stan Capps is also presented:
"This is a truly great recording," declares Stan, "because a session is the final test of talent, musicianship, and teamwork. Not often do the artists in a session approach the blending and fusing necessary to create a harmonic diamond. In this session I feel that we have achieved less than a diamond, but certainly we have captured here the greatest display of Glen's talent on the guitar."
Glen's uncle is supposedly quoted, too:
"This is Glen's Greatest Record" says Dick Bills, Performer and impresario for 35 years in the music and entertainment field. "The musicianship and showmanship recorded in this album is truly great. To me Glen's music is part of Classical Americana; it's strong and forceful; it's light and bouncy; it carries a powerful punch, and yet it flows smoothly and freely like riding the crest of a wave. 'Guitar' will live on to be enjoyed by those who are fortunate enough to devote part of their time to just listening."
The supposed session date is shown on the back cover: "1/8/58" (January 8th, 1958).

The original album was priced at $10.00 which was pricey for 1968!

There are 6 tracks on this album:

Side 1
Feelin' Free
Honky Tonk
Pickaxe, Part 1

Side 2
Pickaxe, Part 2
Gittit and Run
St. Louis Blues

***************************************
Here is what I find odd to me: the liner notes promote Dick Bills more than Glen (IMO) in terms of adjectives.
A newspaper photo is used to show Dick Bills and Glen together. Why use Dick Bills as a testimonial for this album? Why not Glen himself?
This description in particular does not sound like anything that Glen would approve of: "Each of these two artists admiring the other yet striving to out perform the other...." Glen was never competitive with other musicians in this aggressive way, would you agree?
In the past, I have googled to find info on Stan Capps & His Piano, but I have never found any information about him. It's like he never existed.

This album has been a Glen Campbell mystery for years! We sure would appreciate information about the apparent lawsuit Glen filed against this album's release and what Glen said about it!
Has anyone ever come across this information in print?


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