Rhinestone Cowboy

Nudie was the inspiration for the song everyone loves to sing - from Radiohead, to Cher, to Soul Asylum, to David Hasselhoff.

Larry Weiss wrote and recorded Rhinestone Cowboy in 1974, and it became a monster hit for Glenn Campbell a year later. Glenn has said that what really attracted him to the song was the lyrics "There's been a load of compromising on the road to my horizon" that changes later to "There'll be a load of compromising . . . "

Anyone who struggles to succeed knows that road only too well. The lyric that really ties the song to Nudie (other than the obvious) is "I know every crack in these dirty sidewalks of Broadway" -- Nudie shined shoes in front of the Palace Theatre on Broadway in New York desparate to break into show business.

Nudie, however, when designing and making the Rhinestone Cowboy Suit for Glenn Campbell to wear deferred to his idol, Tom Mix. Instead of the usual rhinestone encrusted signature Nudie Suit that would be expected of the song, Nudie replicated a simple white bibbed riding suit with floral embroidery that Mr. Mix was known to wear. For the video and album cover Glenn was placed on a white horse, and the one nod to rhinestones was in the form of a Nudie rhinestoned holster.

This act speaks volumes of Nudie's love of old time silver screen cowboy stars, and his reverance for their legacy.

Nudie and Bobbie Nudie would tell the story of hitchhiking and being passed in a whirl of dust by Tom Mix in his famous Cord. Bobbie exclaimed "Someday they are going to eat my dust!" and later Nudie would make every more fabulous Nudie Mobiles for Bobbie, himself, and his friends to drive.

So enjoy this original music video for Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy."

Nudie always wanted to add his special touch to his heroes, and in 1975 he did just that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atHY8rDBhtI

Looks like you will have to cut and paste this one, but again it is worth it.