GLEN CAMPBELL – Feature from Jul/Aug 2011 Issue GLEN CAMPBELL A pop and country legend wraps up an astonishing career on his own terms Glen Campbell was recording his new album, Ghost on the Canvas, when producer Julian Raymond handed him a guitar he’d never played before. The Country Music Hall of Famer cradled the Gibson 335 and “whipped out the solo like he’d been playing it his whole life,” says Raymond, looking at Campbell with a sense... 

LIFT EVERY VOICE How anyone—and we mean anyone—can learn to sing more sweetly Artists as stylistically and generationally diverse as Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, Roger Daltrey and Lady Gaga have proven again and again that the right vocal performance can touch the listener’s deepest emotions—while the wrong one can abuse the eardrums of innocent bystanders. Learning to channel your own inner songbird can be a challenge, but there are steps... 

  PHOTOGRAPHER NORMAN SEEFF ALREADY KNEW HE was dealing with a unique artist when Frank Zappa arrived at his L.A. studio for this 1976 session. “Frank was very different from other people I photographed,” recalls Seeff. “Many artists are imaginative, but they aren’t conceptual. Frank was both.” Seeff remembers that Zappa seemed at first to be improvising, but soon made clear he had a direction in mind. “Without my telling him anything,... 

LENNY KRAVITZ For this one-man band, no influence is out of bounds—even the Partridge Family “Maybe I’m schizophrenic,” says Lenny Kravitz with a chuckle, contemplating his reputation as one of rock’s most committed multi-instrumentalists. From his 1989 debut Let Love Rule through the new Black and White America, Kravitz has consistently played almost all the instruments on his albums. “When I’m playing various instruments, I take on... 

SARAH JAROSZ Stretching bluegrass boundaries—and shrugging off the ‘child prodigy’ tag Sarah Jarosz is enjoying a moment of rare respite in the midst of an extensive summer tour. “It’s been pretty rigorous, but it’s been good,” says the Texas native with a sigh. The fresh-faced 20-year-old is clearly more than up to the demands of the road—but as evidenced on Follow Me Down, her new sophomore album, Jarosz’s abilities on guitar,... 

KELLY ROWLAND From Destiny’s Child to full-fledged solo star, here she is Although She is inevitably overshadowed by media darling and former bandmate Beyoncé since the breakup of R&B powerhouse Destiny’s Child, Kelly Rowland has been quietly and surely building an estimable career all her own. Worldwide sales of Rowland’s first two solo albums are approaching 4 million total, and her latest, Here I Am, looks primed to continue that success.... 

LADY ANTEBELLUM A multiplatinum trio keeps it country while reaching for the stars Lady Gaga’s outlandish outfits may have been the talk of the Grammy Awards earlier this year, but she was upstaged that night by another Lady: Lady Antebellum. The country trio walked away with five trophies on the strength of its triple-platinum second album, Need You Now. “It was the first time for us to be recognized at that level,” says guitarist and pianist... 

BLUE OCTOBER Fueled by domestic despair, a platinum-selling band goes its own way Blue October leader Justin Furstenfeld doesn’t just wear his heart on his sleeve—on his band’s latest album, Any Man in America, it’s visible on practically every thread of his wardrobe. The anthemic melodies and stream-of-consciousness lyrics document in unflinching detail the unraveling of Furstenfeld’s marriage and his struggle to keep his relationship with... 

BARRY MANILOW The dangers of pop stardom inspire his first new songs in a decade Maybe Barry Manilow’s latest should include a thank-you to Britney Spears. “I was watching her being chased by the paparazzi,” Manilow says. “This young, talented singer just trying to live her life, but being followed everywhere. I thought, ‘Is this the price of fame now?’” The question inspired his first album of all-new material in a decade, penned with... 

DOLLY PARTON After four decades of hits, the queen of country still sparkles “Grindstones and rhinestones, that made up my life/But I’ve shined like a diamond through sacrifice,” sings Dolly Parton on “The Sacrifice,” one of several autobiographical songs on her new album, Better Day. The line neatly sums up an astonishing career. Over the years, Parton’s ambitions have taken her into acting, film production, philanthropy and countless... 

CHICK COREA After five decades, this jazz pioneer forever returns with something new By Jeff Tamarkin A half-century into one of the most storied careers in jazz history, Chick Corea finds himself drawn to the allure of live performance now more than ever. “Rather than pull back and say, ‘Well, I’m getting a little older, I’ll tour less,’ I decided to do the opposite and tour more,” says the keyboard giant, who recently turned 70. The... 

JAY JOYCE Whether it’s country, indie rock or something in between, the vibe is king By Michael Gallant For Jay Joyce, producing isn’t a matter of hitting every right note, tracking with the finest mics or working with the hippest software plug-ins. Nope, it’s all about the vibe. “My job is knowing when and where a beautiful moment is happening, and capturing it,” he says. “Making records is a totally spiritual thing.” Joyce’s approach... 

TOM MORELLO A fearless guitarist channels his righteous rage By Russell Hall “I’ve tried to take off the blinders in regard to what could be done with a guitar,” says Tom Morello. “I’m like the Old McDonald of the instrument, going through a barnyard of sounds. I might not be able to make the guitar ‘moo’ or sound like a hay thrasher, but if you’re aiming for that instead of Chuck Berry riffs you wind up at a place that’s different.” Morello... 

YES For Chris Squire, life in a progressive-rock giant means perpetual change A total of 16 musicians have counted themselves members of the rock powerhouse Yes since the group’s formation in England more than 40 years ago. At the center of this whirlwind of constant inconstancy has been bass player Chris Squire, who has carried the group’s flame through changes in lineup and style, as well as periods of dormancy and uncertainty. “It’s a... 

AMERICA A classic pop group’s 40th anniversary is marked by triumph and tragedy Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America are celebrating their fourth decade together with an album of cover versions, Back Pages, which harks back to the group’s formation as high school friends living abroad in England. America immediately scored with megahits like “A Horse With No Name,” “Ventura Highway” and “Sister Golden Hair” before fellow founding... 

JEFF BRIDGES Whether it’s his latest movie or his new album, this is one creative dude Oscar-winning actor, acclaimed photographer, singer and songwriter: Is there anything Jeff Bridges can’t do? “I’m not a very good auto mechanic,” he confesses with a chuckle. Music is another story. While best known for his work in front of the camera, Bridges has been playing and singing for half a century. He picked up the guitar as a kid, influenced... 

THE KOOKS After years of accolades at home, this band opens their ‘Junk’ yard to the U.S. Luke Pritchard, frontman for U.K. rockers the Kooks, has a very set-in-stone way of presenting his songs to his bandmates. Or does he? “I am not like those songwriters you read about who are going to the guys with all the parts and saying, ‘Here’s what you guys do,’” says Pritchard. Then he stops, shakes his head and laughs, realizing that’s... 

THE BANGLES Learning to love the ’80s, with some help from a real-life revolution With lyrics about hating school, liking donuts and striking silly poses, the Bangles’ 1986 hit “Walk Like an Egyptian” would have hardly been pegged as a political anthem at the time. Yet when protestors took to the streets of Cairo earlier this year to demand the ouster of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, many there adopted the song (penned by Liam Sternberg)... 

PETER  BALDWIN HOMETOWN: Anchorage, Alaska INFLUENCES: Erykah Badu, James Brown, Michael Jackson ALBUM: Peter Baldwin in Vodville EP, out now WEBSITE: peterbaldwinrocks.com Peter Baldwin grew up singing in the church where his mother served as choir director. As a high schooler he eventually formed his own choir, and learned to play a variety of instruments. After graduation he headed for Orlando, Fla., to study recording at Full Sail University.... 

BREANNE DÜREN HOMETOWN: Minneapolis, Minn. INFLUENCES: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor ALBUM: Sparks EP, out now WEBSITE: breannedurenmusic.com All four of the Düren children were compelled to take piano lessons, but Breanne proved a natural—soon she was playing by ear, teaching herself favorites like Joni Mitchell’s “The River.” By middle school she was writing her own songs, and by high school she was playing local coffeehouses.... 

HOPE WAITS HOMETOWN: Monroe, La. INFLUENCES: Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco, Billie Holiday ALBUM: Introducing Hope Waits, out now WEBSITE: hopewaits.com If the depth in Hope Waits’ soul-drenched voice suggests experience beyond her tender years, it’s no accident. Waits was born one of 12 children in a family plagued by poverty, neglect, her father’s alcoholism and her mother’s manic depression. “Basic needs were rarely met, and the abuse was astounding,”...