Glen Campbell (center) is seen onstage with Keith Urban (left) and Vince Gill (right) during the 45th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn., in November. Campbell brought his Goodbye Tour to the Pabst Theater Saturday night. Credit: Associated Press

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Farewell tours have become one of music's great false clichés.

Aging rockers convince their fans that retirement is pending and construct lavish going-away shows, only to return in a few years when their need for glory (and often, cash) calls them back to the stage.

That pattern was broken by the honest finality of Glen Campbell's stop at the Pabst Theater Saturday night as part of his Goodbye Tour.

Diagnosed a year ago with Alzheimer's disease, the star won't have another swan song. After recording last year's darkly beautiful "Ghost on the Canvas," Campbell set out on one last musical trek before the disease steals his ability to perform.

The show was almost a microcosm of the effects of the terrible affliction. There was both joy and pain across an 80-minute set filled with the pop-country hits such as "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Southern Nights" that defined his career, along with a handful of his intimate and personal new songs.

With the familiar opening strains of "Gentle on My Mind," Campbell stepped onstage in a black rhinestone-accented jacket and was greeted by a loving ovation. Before picking up his guitar, he exclaimed, "I'm happy to be here!"

He was supported by three teleprompters at the front of the stage, but his voice was mostly strong as he traded lyrics with a few initial guitar flourishes. Introducing "Galveston," he said, "I'm in a really good mood today." He wasn't lying. He smiled throughout the show, gushed as he introduced favorite songs from the past and seemed thrilled to be surrounded onstage by his three youngest children, who were part of his six-piece backing band (they also opened the show as Instant People with a 30-minute set of upbeat pop).

But there were also times throughout the night where Campbell's joy turned to confusion and frustration. A few flubbed lyrics were laughed off. He had a hard time grasping why he was handed an unfamiliar guitar until his daughter, Ashley, reminded him that his had been broken earlier in the day. Visible signs of dissatisfaction with the onstage audio monitors turned into an awkward verbal outburst in the middle of "Where's the Playground Susie," as he complained about the loud volume onstage.

These moments were palpable reminders of Campbell's diagnosis, but they didn't overwhelm what was mostly a joyous evening. When the singer stumbled, the audience was eager to offer support. And there was also one remarkable constant throughout the show: Campbell's guitar. As he strummed a surf rock-inspired riff on "Try a Little Kindness" and picked in an impressive musical duel with his banjo-playing daughter, Campbell became energetic and confident. When he and his son Shannon played the low trills of "Wichita Lineman," his fingers bounced up and down the frets, and the years melted away from the performance.

Closing the main set, Campbell looked down at the teleprompter and smiled, as if pleasantly surprised to discover which song was next. "Hey, I like this song," he said before triumphantly singing his career-defining hit, "Rhinestone Cowboy."

Surrounded by family and swaying in the glow of an adoring audience wasn't a bad way for Campbell, and Milwaukee, to say goodbye.