With a number of chart-topping hits, Glen Campbell was a huge figure in country music who influenced countless musicians who came after him\u2014including a country supergroup who took their name from one of his songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The Highwayman”<\/a> was originally recorded in 1977 by Jimmy Webb. The lyrics tell the story of a man who was reincarnated four times\u2014his first life was as a highwayman, then he returned as a sailor, construction worker on the Hoover Dam, and captain of a starship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Campbell followed with his own version in 1979, titled “Highwayman,” and it was this version that country superstars Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson heard when they were together filming Cash’s annual Christmas TV special in Switzerland in 1985. When they decided to continue collaborating as a country supergroup\u2014the very first\u2014they took their name from the song and called themselves The Highwaymen, although they didn’t adopt the name until their first two albums had already been released. Both albums, Highwayman<\/em> and Highwayman 2<\/em>, were also named for the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The group also recorded their own version of “Highwayman,” which hit No. 1 on the country charts and stayed there for 20 weeks. It remains their signature song. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Webb was particularly impressed with their version. “You couldn\u2019t imagine better casting than that,” he said<\/a>. “They fleshed out the song and made it walk and talk.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n As for Campbell, he once them onstage once to play “Highwayman” at the very first Farm Aid, taking the place of Kristofferson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n