Country Icon Glen Campbell Moved to Alzheimer’s Facility

Country legend Glen Campbell has been moved into an Alzheimer’s facility, a representative for the country singer confirmed to Rolling Stone. 

“Sadly, Glen’s condition has progressed enough that we were no longer able to keep him at home,” said the singer’s family in a statement to Rolling Stone. “He is getting fantastic care and we get to see him every day. Our family wants to thank everyone for their continued prayers, love and support.”

Glen Campbell Says Goodbye in Style at Grammys

Campbell was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011. He and his wife Kim went public with the sad news in an interview with People, partially to inform fans in case of forgotten lyrics and confusion during subsequent live performances.

“I still love making music,” he told the magazine. “And I still love performing for my fans.” And the singer didn’t slow down in the face of his illness, embarking on a global Goodbye Tour and releasing two new LPs – 2011’s Ghost on the Canvas and 2013’s See You There (which featured rerecordings of his classic songs, including the legendary “Rhinestone Cowboy”).

As his condition worsened, Campbell was forced to cancel 2012 live dates in Australia and New Zealand. The farewell tour was also chronicled for the new documentary Glen Campbell … I’ll Be Me, which premieres Friday at the ongoing 2014 Nashville Film Festival; the film follows Campbell and his family as they travel, perform and struggle with the disease.

Rolling Stone profiled Campbell in 2011, with various musicians speaking about his musical influence. “He had that beautiful tenor with a crystal-clear guitar sound, playing lines that were so inventive,” said Tom Petty. “It moved me.” Fellow session legend Leon Russell also spoke about his guitar finesse: “He was the best guitar player I’d heard before or since,” he said. “Occasionally we’d play with 50- or 60-piece orchestras. His deal was he didn’t read [music], so they would play it one time for him, and he had it.”