Award-winning singer-songwriter Kenny Rogers enjoyed huge success on both the country and pop charts with hits like "Lucille", "The Gambler", "Islands in the Stream", "Lady" and "Morning Desire". ".
Kenny Rogers was born on August 21, 1938 in Houston, Texas. After working with bands, he began performing as a solo artist with The Gambler in 1978.
The title track became a huge country and pop hit and gave Rodgers his second Grammy Award.
Rodgers also scored a string of hits with country legend Dottie West and performed the great #1 tune "Islands In The Stream" with Dolly Parton.
While continuing to chart in the country, becoming a cult musician, Rodgers also published several books, including an autobiography in 2012.
Childhood and early career
Singer-songwriter Kenneth Donald Rodgers was born on August 21, 1938 in Houston, Texas. Although he was called "Kenneth Donald" on his birth certificate, his family always referred to him as "Kenneth Ray".
Rogers grew up poor, living with his parents and six siblings in a federal housing development.
In high school, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in music. He bought himself a guitar and started a band called the Scholars. The band had a rockabilly sound and played several local hits.
But then Rodgers decided to go solo and recorded the 1958 hit "That Crazy Feeling" for the Carlton label.
He even performed the song on Dick Clark's popular music program American Bandstand. Changing genres, Rodgers played bass with the jazz band Bobby Doyle Trio.
Turning to a folk-pop style, Rodgers was asked to join the New Christie Minstrels in 1966. He left after a year along with several other members of the band to form First Edition.
Combining folk, rock and country, the band quickly scored a hit with the psychedelic "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)".
The group soon became known as Kenny Rogers and First Edition, eventually leading them to their own music show. They recorded several more hits such as "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To The City" with Mel Tillis.
Mainstream success
In 1974, Rodgers left the band to pursue his solo career again and decided to focus on country music. "Love Lifted Me" became his first solo hit in 20 countries in 1975.
Two years later, Rodgers reached the top of the country charts with the mournful ballad "Lucille". The song also performed well on the pop charts, reaching the top five and earning Rogers his first Grammy - Best Male Vocal Performance in the Country.
Quickly following this success, Rogers released The Gambler in 1978. The title track was again a huge country and pop hit and gave Rodgers his second Grammy.
He also showed the gentle side of his personality with another popular ballad, "She Believes In Me".
And already in 1979 he showed such hits as "The Coward Of The Country" and "You Adorned My Life".
Around this time, he wrote a book of advice, How To Do It With Music: Kenny Rogers Guide to the Music Business (1978).
Duets with Dotty and Dolly
In addition to his solo work, Rogers recorded a series of hits with country music legend Dottie West. They reached the top of the country charts with "Every Time Two Fools Collide" (1978), "All I Ever Need Is You" (1979) and "What Are We Doin' in Love" (1981).
Also in 1981, Rodgers topped the pop charts for six weeks with his version of Lionel Richie's "Lady".
By this time, Rogers had become a true crossover hit, enjoying huge success on the country and pop charts and collaborating with pop stars such as Kim Karn and Sheena Easton.
Moving on to acting, Rogers starred in television films inspired by his songs such as The Gambler, 1980s, which spawned several sequels, and Coward of the County 1981 year.
On the big screen, he played a racing driver in the comedy Six Pack (1982).
In 1983, Rodgers created one of the biggest hits of his career: a duet with Dolly Parton called "Islands in the Stream". Written by the Bee Gees, the tune went to the top of both the country and pop charts.
Rodgers and Parton won the Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year for their efforts.
Thereafter, Rodgers continued to thrive as a country music artist, but his ability to transition to pop success began to wane.
Hits from this period included his duet with Ronnie Milsap "Make No Mistake, She's Mine", which won the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance in the Country.
Hobbies outside of music
Rogers has also shown a passion for photography. The images he took while traveling around the country were published in the 1986 collection Kenny Rogers America.
“Music is what I am, but photography is probably part of me too,” he later explained to People magazine. The following year, Rogers published another collection called "Your Friends and Mine".
Continuing his career, Rogers appeared in television films such as Christmas in America (1990) and MacShayne: Winner Takes All (1994)
He also began to explore other business opportunities, and in 1991 he opened a restaurant franchise called Kenny Rogers Roasters. He later sold the business to Nathan's Famous, Inc. in 1998.
That same year, Rogers created his own record label, Dreamcatcher Entertainment. Around the same time, he starred in his own off-Broadway Christmas show, The Toy Shoppe.
With the release of his next album, She Rides Wild Horses, in 1999, Rodgers enjoyed a return to the charts with the hit "The Greatest", which told the story of a guy's love for baseball.
It was followed by another hit: "Buy Me a Rose" from the same album.
Last years
Rogers went through a dramatic change in his personal life in 2004.
He and his fifth wife, Wanda, welcomed twin boys Jordan and Justin in July, just a month before his 66th birthday.
“They say twins my age will either make you or break you. Right now I'm leaning towards a break. I would 'kill' for the energy they got," Rogers told People magazine.
He has three older children from previous marriages.
That same year, Rogers published his children's book, Christmas in Canaan, which was later turned into a TV movie.
Rogers also had plastic surgery. Longtime fans were surprised by his appearance on American Idol in 2006.
At a show promoting his latest album, Water & Bridges, Rodgers showed off his efforts, that is, his face, which has become more youthful.
However, he was not completely satisfied with the results, complaining that everything did not go as he wanted.
In 2009, he celebrated his long career in the music field - the first 50 years. Rogers has released dozens of albums and has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
In 2012, Rogers published his autobiography Luck or Something Like It. He received recognition for his significant musical contributions in 2013 when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
At the CMA Awards held in November of that year, he also received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
In the same year, Rodgers released the album You Can't Make Old Friends, and in 2015, the holiday collection Once Again Is Christmas.
From December until 2016, the famed singer/songwriter began by announcing that he was going on his farewell tour.
In April 2018, after Rodgers pulled out of a scheduled performance at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina, the casino announced on Twitter that the singer was canceling the remaining dates of his latest tour due to a "series of health issues".
"I really enjoyed my last tour and had a great time saying goodbye to fans during the last two years of The Gambler Last Deal tour," Rodgers said in a statement.
"I have never been able to properly thank them for the support they have given me throughout my career and this tour was filled with happiness that I will experience for a long time to come!"
Death of Kenny Rogers
On March 20, 2020, it became known that the US country music legend had died. The death of Kenny Rogers came from natural causes. Rogers' family gave official comments: "Kerry Rogers passed away on March 20 at 22:25 pm.
At the time of his death, he was 81 years old. Rogers died surrounded by nurses and closest family members. The funeral will be held in the circle of the closest relatives and friends.
