Glen Campbell’s road to stardom - “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,’’ “Wichita Lineman,’’ “Rhinestone Cowboy’’ - is paved with numerous overlooked gems. With more than 50 studio albums, his discography is daunting, and he’s been anthologized to the hilt. Here are a few good starting points for lesser-known material.

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  BIG BLUEGRASS SPECIAL(1962) - Recorded with the Green River Boys, Campbell’s first album found him in fine form as both a bluegrass picker and singer. For anyone who thinks Campbell is too slick, take heart: There’s nary an ounce of pop sheen on these songs.
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  THE ASTOUNDING 12-STRING GUITAR OF GLEN CAMPBELL(1964) - Transitioning from straight country to a more pop-friendly version of it, Campbell puts a twangy spin on “Puff the Magic Dragon’’ and “Blowin’ in the Wind.’’ This instrumental album was the first sign of Campbell’s guitar prowess that continues to this day.
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  BOBBIE GENTRY AND GLEN CAMPBELL(1968) - Someone was wise enough to pair Campbell with Gentry, the sultry Southern singer-songwriter. Even on cloying pop fare like “Little Green Apples,’’ their voices blend beautifully. Campbell made a similar album with Anne Murray a few years later.
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  HOUSTON (I’M COMIN’ TO SEE YOU)(1974) - Campbell in a nutshell: He’s arguably the only artist who can credibly go from yodeling like Hank Williams on “Lovesick Blues’’ straight into crooning Charles Aznavour’s “Yesterday, When I Was Young.’’ (k.d. lang is a close second.)
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  BASIC(1978) - As a follow-up to “Southern Nights,’’ whose Allen Toussaint-penned title track became one of Campbell’s most enduring hits, this underrated album rocked harder and had funky overtones. Well, funky by Glen Campbell standards.