Biography of Jimmy Webb

Even if you never have heard a Jimmy Webb album, you have at least heard his songs. During the late '60s and early '70s, Webb was writing a series of hits for the Fifth Dimension, Glen Campbell, Richard Harris, and Cher, including "Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix; " both songs have become pop standards. His first hit was the Fifth Dimension's "Up, Up and Away," which was eventually used in TWA television commercials.After having many different artists record his songs successfully, Webb officially launched a solo career in 1970; a collection of his demos had been released against his will in 1968. Although his debut album, Words and Music, earned mixed reviews, it helped him gain a sizable cult following. While he recorded a series of overlooked albums in the '70s, other artists continued to record his songs, including Art Garfunkel, Judy Collins, Joe Cocker, and Lowell George. During the '80s, he concentrated on scoring films and television shows, releasing only one album. In 1993, he returned to the studio to record his first album since 1982; produced by Linda Rondstadt, Suspending Disbelief earned good reviews, but poor sales, which seems to be Webb's curse. Even though he has never has had success with his own recordings, Jimmy Webb remains one of the best-loved and most-recorded songwriters of his generation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine