"I am a lineman for the county,,,

,,,and I drive the main line."

Glen Campbell died today after years of struggling with Alzheimer's disease. At the end the only thing he could still do was play the guitar and sing. There was a member of St. John's, Waterbury's choir who could hardly speak because of an incredible stammer. And he could sing like an angel. Music is in a different part of the brain, I've been told, to the part that makes us stammer or sink into the frightening nothingness of dementia.

I've always had a love/hate relationship with country music. Growing up in the mountains of southern West Virginia, country music WAS music. And as a rebel and outsider (all my life, wherever I've been) I rejected the music of my roots and was a far of the Beatles and whatever rock their was. Eventually, in college, I became a classics listener--Mozart most of all--but when I moved to New England, how long has it been?, 37 years ago, I began to like country music a bit.

And now Glen is dead.

"I need you more than want you/and I want you for all time...."

The Wichita Lineman, as far as I'm concerned, in my heart and mind, "is still on the line...."

81 and sure to be missed. Live on Glen....live on.