The Smiley Smile Message Board

I was certain that I posted this before and had several replies, but darned if I could find it by searching and looking at my posting history.  :-\

Anyhoo...a friend of mine, who I don't think posts/lurks here, went to the Beach Boys' concert in New Haven, Connecticut on May 15, 1965. He remembers 1) being cheesed that Brian wasn't in the lineup, and 2) that Glen Campbell was given a solo spot during the show and performed one song, a song my friend had never heard, at least not by the Beach Boys. He doesn't remember the song at all, but over the years after things he learned about Brian and such, he thinks it may have been "Guess I'm Dumb." And he says he's sticking with that unless someone can definitively say it was something else.

I have two thoughts....1) I doubt that the Beach Boys at that time could have pulled off "Guess I'm Dumb" as a band, but 2) he could have sung to a backing track or lip-synched to the track or have had another set of musicians backing him up, and 3) given that "Guess I'm Dumb" was released as a single on June 7 of that year, just a few weeks after that concert, it would be plausible that he would have been promoting the song.

Can anybody confirm or definitively contradict that Glen Campbell sang "Guess I'm Dumb" in concert when he was a touring Beach Boy? The concert isn't documented on Eric Aniversario's setlist page, so that didn't help...

Good question for AGD.

I am reasonably sure of two things here ...

1.) GC did get a solo spot in BB shows when he toured with them.

2.) He most likely was not performing Guess I'm Dumb, though.

Here's what I wanted.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php?action=printpage;topic=11002.0

Lee Dempsey of ESQ wrote this: "I've heard that at some shows, the group left the stage and allowed Glen to take a solo.  I heard from a person that attended one show here in Charlotte that he strapped on a banjo and let loose with a roaring version of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown."  I also remember hearing or reading that at another show he came out with guitar and did a spot-on imitation of Roger Miller playing/singing "Dang Me."

After this May 15 New Haven show, which was likely his last playing WITH them, Glen became the Beach Boys opening act for a string of gigs starting on May 19th.

So between April 9th and May 15th were both Glen and Bruce on stage?

No, never both. Glen had sporadic commitments/gigs/tv/sessions...so Bruce began covering for him, but when Glen was available Bruce acted as a semi-roadie and helped with the lighting/equipment etc... There was a transition period where Glen was on the way out and Bruce was being groomed to replace him. Brian also filled in for Glen at one point believe it or not...all the dates and details are in Ian and my upcoming concerts book.

http://www.amazon.com/Beach-Boys-Concert-Complete-Americas/dp/1617134562/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368296185&sr=1-1&keywords=Jon+Stebbins

Shouldn't that be out by now?

Publication date has always been June 18th, 2013 according to the publisher and Amazon US.

It's had a lot of heavy promotion, which is a good thing. I don't think I've seen BB/BW book have so much online promotion (before it comes out). I'm looking forward to it!

Follow-up....I pointed my friend in the direction of Wirestone's post...says Glen most definitely did NOT do "Dang Me" at the concert he went to...

That book is SO pre-ordered already...ready to devour it as soon as it arrives, Jon! The BBs efforts to retool after Brian left the road is just one of the interesting stories that such a book can convey. This side of their story has never been focused on previously and promises to deliver a valuable new perspective on the workings of the band.