It took several tries before
Kenny Rogers became a star. As a member of
the First Edition (and
the New Christy Minstrels before that),
Kenny Rogers shared in some million-sellers,
among them "Reuben James" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," an excellent
Mel Tillis song about a disabled veteran. But superstardom lay ahead for
this Texan, and it arrived in the late '70s. His experience with the two
previous pop groups had prepared him well: he knew the easy listening audience
was out there, and he supplied them with well done middle-of-the-road songs with
a country flavor. Having gone solo, in 1976
Kenny Rogers charted with "Love Lifted Me." But it was with an outstanding song by
writers Roger Bowling and
Hal Bynum, "Lucille," that his star shot upward.
The rest (as they say) is history: award-winning duets with
Dottie West and
Dolly Parton, 12 TV specials, another song of the year with "The Gambler,"
"Daytime Friends," "Coward of the County," "We've Got Tonight," "Crazy," "Lady"
(his first pop number one), etc., etc., etc. And that's just the musical
side of
Kenny Rogers. In 1980, the made-for-TV movie The Gambler blasted the
competition, followed quickly by Coward of the County, then enough sequels to
The Gambler to get him to Roman numeral IV.
Throughout the late '80s and '90s,
Kenny Rogers kept busy with charity work, concerts, his fast-food chain
Kenny Rogers' Roasters, television specials, movies, and photography,
publishing no less than two books, Kenny Rogers' America and Kenny Rogers: Your
Friends and Mine, of his photos.
Kenny Rogers continued to record, releasing albums nearly every year, but they
failed to break beyond his large, devoted fan base and only made a slight impact
on the charts. With 1998's Christmas from the Heart, he established his own
record label, Dreamcatcher; She Rides Wild Horses followed a year later, and
There You Go Again was issued in mid-2000. A&E Live by Request appeared in 2001,
followed by Back to the Well in 2003, Me & Bobby McGee in 2004, and Water &
Bridges in 2006. ~ David Vinopal & Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Contact Grabow for more information or to book Kenny Rogers
for your next corporate or private event.
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