While his sophisticated melodies and orchestrations were embraced by mainstream audiences, his peers were embracing counter-culture sounds.

Webb's success as a new songwriter underscored what became the central dilemma in his career. 'Up, Up and Away' and 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix' received 8 Grammy Awards between them. Īt the 1967 Grammy Awards, 'Up, Up and Away' was named Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

In November 1967, Glen Campbell released his version of 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix', which reached #26 and became an instant pop standard.

The group's follow-up album, The Magic Garden, was also released in 1967 and featured 11 Jimmy Webb songs, including 'The Worst That Could Happen'. The song 'Up, Up and Away' was released as a single in May 1967 and reached the Top Ten. Webb contributed 5 songs to their debut album Up, Up and Away. In 1967, Rivers turned to Webb for songs for a new group Rivers was producing called The 5th Dimension. The following year, Webb met singer and producer Johnny Rivers, who signed him to a publishing deal and recorded his song 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix' on his 1966 album, Changes. The first commercial recording of a Jimmy Webb song was 'My Christmas Tree' by The Supremes, which appeared on their 1965 Merry Christmas album. Webb would later recall his father warning him about his musical aspirations, saying, 'This songwriting thing is going to break your heart.' Seeing that his son was determined, however, he gave him $40, saying, 'It's not much, but it's all I have.' Early songwriting success Īfter transcribing other people's music for a small music publisher, Webb was signed to a songwriting contract with Jobete Music, the publishing arm of Motown Records. Webb decided to stay in California to continue his music studies and to pursue a career as a songwriter in Los Angeles. Following the death of his mother in 1965, his father made plans to return to Oklahoma. In 1964, Webb and his family moved to southern California, where he attended San Bernardino Valley College studying music. Webb was drawn to the singer's distinctive voice. In 1961, at the age of 14, he bought his earliest record, 'Turn Around, Look at Me' by Glen Campbell. Webb grew up in a conservative religious home where his father restricted radio listening to country music and white gospel music.ĭuring the late 1950s, Webb started writing songs, influenced by the church music he played and also by some of the new music he heard, including Elvis Presley. With his mother's encouragement, Webb learned piano and organ, and by the age of 12 was playing in the choir of his father's churches, accompanied by his father on guitar and his mother on accordion. His father, Robert Lee Webb, was a Baptist minister and former member of the United States Marine Corps who presided over rural churches in southwestern Oklahoma and West Texas. Webb is the only artist ever to have received Grammy Awards for music, lyrics, and orchestration. According to BMI, his song 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix' was the 3rd most performed song in the 50 years between 19. His songs have been performed by many popular contemporary singers, including Glen Campbell, The 5th Dimension, Thelma Houston, The Supremes, Richard Harris, Johnny Maestro, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Isaac Hayes, Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, America, Linda Ronstadt, R.E.M., Michael Feinstein, Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand, and Carly Simon. He has written numerous platinum-selling classics, including 'Up, Up and Away', 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix', 'Wichita Lineman', 'Galveston', 'The Worst That Could Happen', 'All I Know', and 'MacArthur Park'.

Jimmy webb book on songwriting