Life, food, events, and community in Albuquerque, NM

Who In Albuquerque Remembers Glen Campbell?

I can barely remember Albuquerque's Glen (Wichita Lineman) Campbell singing and playing on the Dick Bills' Show on black and white TV in the 1950s. There must be dozens or hundreds of stories about him among Duke City old-timers, however. Anybody care to share?
I'm particularly interested in whether or not he played basketball. Looking through an AAU tournament program from 1952, I've found a Glen Campbell on the roster of Mike's Food Store, which was located at 901 North Fourth. I'm wondering if the basketball player and the singer are one and the same. I'm writing a book on basketball in New Mexico and would like to find out. Does anyone have contact with Campbell, who could ask him if he played the sport? And where did he go to high school? I've heard that it was not in New Mexico.
Basketball aside, there must be many great stories about one of the biggest stars to come out of Albuquerque ever that DCF readers would find fascinating.
ADDENDUM: I have learned that Glen Campbell, the singer is NOT the person who played in the AAU Tournament cited above, from Jim Hulsman, high school Hall of Fame coach retired from Albuquerque High. I hope this doesn't diminish the fun of talking about Glen Campball and his days in Albuquerque.

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Comment by Adelita on July 7, 2009 at 4:35pm: I know he used to play music at a club on West Central. I was too young to go!

Comment by Rodney on July 7, 2009 at 4:45pm: I grew up in Gallup, so I never saw anyone of those guys like Captain Billy, Uncle Roy or Dick Bills and Glen Campbell except on the tube. But, I remember Bills them song and opening line like it was yesterday.

"Riding down the trail to Allllbuquerque,
Saddle bags are filled with beans and jerky
Heading for K-Circle-B, TV right for you and me,
K-Circle-B in Albuqueeeerque".

"Howdy all you little wranglers out there. This is Dick Bills and my sidekick Glen Campbell."

I don't recall whatever became of Bills or Uncle Roy, but I seem to remember that Captain Billy, with the nautical themed kids show on channel 13 (KGGM then), had a rather ugly ending. Something about an affair with another man's wife or something.

Comment by Lee on July 7, 2009 at 8:12pm: so is this like the Glen Campbell ? the singer ?
I never knew he was from Albq !!

Comment by Kelly Vickers on July 8, 2009 at 8:15am: My mom grew up over on Jefferson near Candelaria. A home she often babysat at happened to also be where Buck Owens and his band frequently did practice sessions. On a few occasions Glen Campbell sat in and jammed with them. Mom said she had a little crush on Campbell, who she described as being "pimply faced." She named my younger brother "Glenn."

Comment by Ron Da Bomb on July 8, 2009 at 8:23am: From the Arizona Music Hall of Fame on Glen Campbell. Check out the YouTube video.

Comment by cc on July 8, 2009 at 8:46am: I know my Grandma listened to him on KOB am radio and she got my sis and I reproduced pencil portraits of him. "By the time I hit Albuquerque, she'll be rising." (that's probably incorrect!)

Comment by Ben Moffett on July 8, 2009 at 10:04am: I think he did a Mead's Bread commercial -- either him or Dick Bills. A key line was "that's what I said...Meads fine bread..."

Comment by Keith M Ellis on July 12, 2009 at 10:06am: My great-grandmother's sister owned that club on West Central where Campbell played, according to family lore. We called her "Aunt Fritz", but I don't know what her actual name was, including surname. I'm having trouble believing that she was the owner, now that I think about it, but anything is possible. She died when I was young, in the early 70s. I remember her living in what we called the "little house", a converted chicken coop my great-grandfather built behind their Willow Road north valley home.

But apparently Fritz knew Glen Campbell well. But then, that's what the family lore would claim, wouldn't it?

Comment by Ben Moffett on July 12, 2009 at 1:21pm: I'm fairly sure the club was named Club Chesterfield, Keith. In fact I just found a website confirming it. http://www.bransonsreview.com/story_June02.html, The piece on Campbell is under a subhead, "The Uncle Dick Plan."

Comment by LEE HORNER on October 17, 2009 at 6:54pm: Dick Bills was Glenn's uncle and he (Dick) owned the Paradise Supper Club out in Tijeras. Glenn did indeed play at the club Chesterfield and I think the Far West club on W Central; know for sure c/Chesterfield he played at. I heard him perform once at UNM right after popejoy hall was built backed up by the Albuq Symphony if you can believe that. Actually the symphony played some and Glenn played solo after that but it was a great show. This would have been in the late 60's.