\tGlen Campbell, the beloved \u201cRhinestone Cowboy,\u201d international TV star and country music singer-songwriter, died on Tuesday after a long battle with Alzheimer\u2019s disease, his rep confirmed to HuffPost. He was 81. A statement posted to his website read:
\n\u201cIt is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and legendary singer and guitarist, Glen Travis Campbell, at the age of 81, following his long and courageous battle with Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u201d \u201cGlen is survived by his wife, Kim Campbell of Nashville, TN; their three children, Cal, Shannon and Ashley; his children from previous marriages, Debby, Kelli, Travis, Kane, and Dillon; ten grandchildren, great- and great-great-grandchildren. A personal statement from Kim Campbell will follow.
\nThe family appreciates your prayers and respect for their privacy at this time.\u201d\n\t<\/p>\n
\nCampbell\u2019s life of triumphs and tragedies began when the Arkansas native left the country for the city of Los Angeles at the age of 22 after forming his own band, Glenn Campbell and the Wranglers. In 1961 at 24 years old, he wrote \u201cTurn Around, Look at Me,\u201d which garnered some acclaim and led to his first big shot with Capitol Records. Eight years later, Campbell was collaborating with some of the greats and his connections in the music industry got him his own variety show, \u201cThe Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour,\u201d in 1969. It was an immediate international hit with Campbell being nominated for three Emmy awards before it was canceled in 1972. After the show\u2019s run, he toured with The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and numerous other bands, according to The Boot.\n \t\t<\/p>\n
\tHe\u2019s sold about 50 million records and had 27 Top 10 hits, including \u201cRhinestone Cowboy\u201d released in 1975. He was nominated for 21 Grammy awards and won 10, including for \u201cGentle On My Mind,\u201d \u201cBy the Time I Get to Phoenix\u201d and \u201cWichita Lineman.\u201d He also won 10 Academy of Country Music awards, including the ACM Honors lifetime achievement prize in 2016. Despite his success, the 1970s weren\u2019t easy on Campbell. He would spiral for almost 10 years battling cocaine addiction and alcoholism and saw his second and third marriages fail. In the early 1980s, Campbell overcame his cocaine addiction and became a born-again Christian. His career soared until he revealed that he\u2019d been diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s in 2011. He acknowledged that his memory was failing him and announced his final tour in 2013 before he retreated to seclusion with his family. By 2015, he was barely able to speak, could no longer play music and was living in a memory-care facility in Nashville. \u201cHe still has the same essence. He still has the same twinkle in his eye. He has the same chuckle, and he\u2019s still an entertainer,\u201d Kim, whom he married in 1982, told People in 2015.\t<\/p>\n
Country Music Has Lost Yet Another Iconic Legend! RIP \u201cRhinestone Cowboy\u201d <\/b> \t\t<\/p>\n