Vince Gill knew he was taking on an all-but-impossible task when he agreed to sing “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Wichita Lineman” on the PBS special Jimmy Webb: American Songwriter, which premieres Friday (Oct. 30) at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on PBS, pbs.org/gperf and the PBS app.
Gill, of course, did a fine job on those Jimmy Webb songs, which Glen Campbell turned into crossover pop/country hits (and Grammy nominees for record of the year in 1968 and 1969, respectively). But no one is ever going to top Campbell’s sublime recordings.
“Glen made such remarkable records with these songs, and they’re untouchable,” Gill said in an interview segment on the special. “They truly are. Those songs are so timeless. They’re so rich. They’re so rich in history. They’re so rich in story. They’re the American songbook of my lifetime.”
The excellently produced special looks at the highlights of Webb’s career, which began in earnest when The 5th Dimension’s buoyant recording of “Up — Up and Away” cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1967. (Webb was a month away from turning 21.) Webb went on to write such gems as “MacArthur Park” (a Hot 100 smash for both Richard Harris and Donna Summer), “Didn’t We” (covered by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams and Barbra Streisand, among many others) and “All I Know,” the first solo hit for Art Garfunkel.
Great Performances – Jimmy Webb: American Songwriter is a production of John Paulson Productions. It is executive produced by John Paulson and Karen Sherry Dolan and produced by Carol Stein and Philip W. Hack. Directed by Gary Menotti. For Great Performances, Bill Kabel is producer, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.
Here are five highlights of Great Performances – Jimmy Webb: American Songwriter.
