"I’ve been honored to have listened to your wonderful music and beautiful voice my whole life."
"Legend."
"Nobody can deliver a love song like Kenny Rogers."
"Spectacularly beautiful voice. Your phenomenal music will remain in our hearts forever."
"He had a style that will live on forever."
"Music that heals the soul."
"Nobody could tell a story like Kenny."
"A TRUE ICON. Thank you for bringing so much love and inspiration into our lives."
"One of my favorite singers of all-time!"
"Kenny Rogers, a unique artist with the voice of an angel that touches and moves my heart, There is magic and love in his voice."
"Rest in heaven Kenny, as your songs live on forever. I'll never forget you! Your songs have touched my life, in many ways. And, always will. You are a legend!"
"His music always touches my inner soul."
"Beautiful man, beautiful song. His voice is just amazing......."
"Kenny, you and your amazing and inspiring songs will live forever in the hearts of millions of people!"
"He has the most beautiful voice!! His music has so much meaning!!!"
"Kenny was simply the best, gorgeous voice."
"Incredible talent; One of those who CANNOT BE REPLACED!"
"This man was of of the greatest entertainers in history .... "
"One of the greatest talents!"
"Kenny Rogers is in a league of the best singers in the history of music."
"This world is a more beautiful place because of his songs."
"What an amazing singer. Kenny will live on forever through his outstanding music."
"He was fantastic. A true legend."
"One of the best singers of all-time. PRICELESS!"
"Kenny, your contributions and legacy will stay with us forever."
"Kenny Rogers brought so much joy and positive energy to every country in the world."
He began his career as a Rock & Roll artist, but his appeal was far and wide.
Kenny Rogers was born August 21, 1938 in Houston, Texas. Kenny played in rock bands at an early age and released his first single under his given name of Kenneth Rogers in 1958 ("That Crazy Feeling").
Rogers married Janice Gordon on May 15, but the couple divorced a little less than two years later. He married Jean Rogers a few months later, but that relationship ended in 1963. A year later, Kenny married his third wife, Margo Anderson.
Kenny (standing, above left) then joined the jazz group The Bobby Doyle Trio, which was reasonably successful and released songs on Columbia Records. The group split in 1965, and after another solo single failed, Rogers worked as a writer, session musician and producer for other artists, including Eddy Arnold and Mickey Gilley.
In 1966, Rogers joined the New Christy Minstrels, playing double bass and singing. The following year, however, Rogers, Thelma Camacho, Mike Settle and Terry Williams left the group to form the First Edition. Kin Vassy soon joined and the group scored hits such as "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", "Something's Burning" and the psychedelic "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition Was In)".
The First Edition broke up in 1976, the same year that Rogers' marriage with Margo Anderson ended. Rogers signed a recording contract with United Artists and began a solo career. He released the album Love Lifted Me followed by his self-titled album later in the year.
Rogers married Marianne Gordon on October 1, 1977.
Rogers married Janice Gordon on May 15, but the couple divorced a little less than two years later. He married Jean Rogers a few months later, but that relationship ended in 1963. A year later, Kenny married his third wife, Margo Anderson.
Kenny (standing, above left) then joined the jazz group The Bobby Doyle Trio, which was reasonably successful and released songs on Columbia Records. The group split in 1965, and after another solo single failed, Rogers worked as a writer, session musician and producer for other artists, including Eddy Arnold and Mickey Gilley.
(Rogers, second from left...)
In 1966, Rogers joined the New Christy Minstrels, playing double bass and singing. The following year, however, Rogers, Thelma Camacho, Mike Settle and Terry Williams left the group to form the First Edition. Kin Vassy soon joined and the group scored hits such as "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", "Something's Burning" and the psychedelic "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition Was In)".
Rogers married Marianne Gordon on October 1, 1977.
Most music fans at the time were well aware of Rogers as being the distinctive voice behind the First Edition. So when they heard "Lucille" in 1977, they were on board. "Lucille", from his self-titled album which has been certified Platinum, climbed to #1 in 12 countries and sold over five million copies worldwide.
Rogers won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male and an American Music Award for Favorite Country Single and was nominated for Favorite Male Country Artist at the American Music Awards for "Lucille". Kenny released the album Daytime Friends later in the year, another million-seller, despite the fact that his best song, "Daytime Friends" stalled at #13 on the Adult chart and only reached #28 overall.
Rogers won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male and an American Music Award for Favorite Country Single and was nominated for Favorite Male Country Artist at the American Music Awards for "Lucille". Kenny released the album Daytime Friends later in the year, another million-seller, despite the fact that his best song, "Daytime Friends" stalled at #13 on the Adult chart and only reached #28 overall.
A year later, Rogers was back with the album Love or Something Like It, which kept his streak of Gold studio albums going at three in a row. The title song was a big Country hit and also got airplay on the Adult and Popular radio stations. It was just a hint of what Kenny was capable of.
"Sweet Music Man", which Kenny wrote himself, is another solid track.
Rogers released his first compilation album, Ten Years of Gold, in 1978, which has reached four million in sales in the U.S. alone.
Rogers released his first compilation album, Ten Years of Gold, in 1978, which has reached four million in sales in the U.S. alone.
Kenny won Grammy Awards for Favorite Country Album (for 10 Years of Gold in 1979 and The Gambler in 1980) and released what turned out to be his signature song, "The Gambler" in 1978 from the album of the same name.
The song hit #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart but stalled at #16 on the Popular chart in one of the colossal mistakes of the Rock Era. "The Gambler" is one of the prime songs in the category The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.
The line "You've got to know when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em" became part of the public vernacular as a result of the song. Kenny then combined with friend Dottie West for several albums and tours together. Every Time Two Fools Collide reached Gold status in 1978 while Classics in 1979 went Platinum.
The single "What Are We Doin' in Love", from Dottie's album Wild West, reached #7 on the Adult chart and scored a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
Rogers and West were also nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (for "Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight") and Kenny was nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male (for "Love Or Something Like It") at the Grammy Awards.
Rogers again won American Music Awards for Favorite Male Country Artist and Favorite Country Album and he won a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "The Gambler". Kenny was also nominated for Record of the Year and Album of the Year, and The Gambler has now sold over five million units.
Radio stations caught blindsided by their failure to play "The Gambler" finally figured it out with the Gold single "She Believes In Me", a #1 smash on the Adult Contemporary chart and #5 overall in the U.S. and #8 in Canada and a million-seller. Rogers received a nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.
Kenny and Dottie West were again nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (for "All I Ever Need Is You".
Rogers and West were also nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (for "Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight") and Kenny was nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male (for "Love Or Something Like It") at the Grammy Awards.
Radio stations caught blindsided by their failure to play "The Gambler" finally figured it out with the Gold single "She Believes In Me", a #1 smash on the Adult Contemporary chart and #5 overall in the U.S. and #8 in Canada and a million-seller. Rogers received a nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.
Kenny and Dottie West were again nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (for "All I Ever Need Is You".
Rogers also released the album Kenny in 1979 and enjoyed huge success with the single "You Decorated My Life", #1 Country, #2 Adult Contemporary and #7 overall. Debbie Hupp, who co-wrote the song with Bob Morrison, actually lived the lyrics she wrote. She was a single mother with five children and had to work three jobs. So how did the phrase "you decorated my life" come to be? According to Morrison's interview with The Tennessean, Debbie:
ended up remarrying and she and her husband bought
a house. It was around Christmastime and she said,
"I need to figure out how to decorate for Christmas." Bingo! A light went off. She brought a cassette
recorder into a car and started recording the melody.
The album reached #1 in Canada, #5 in the United States and #7 in the United Kingdom and has topped three million in sales. Rogers released the single "Coward Of The County" from the album, a #1 smash in the U.K. and Canada, #3 in the United States, #6 in Australia and #8 in New Zealand. It became Kenny's third Gold record.
In 1980, longtime friends Kim Carnes and her husband David Ellingson, who were with Rogers in the New Christy Minstrels, wrote songs for Kenny on his album Gideon. Rogers and Carnes scored a huge hit with "Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer", #3 in Canada and #2 on the AC chart and #4 Popular in the U.S., which earned a Grammy nomination for Favorite Country Single.
The album has sold over one million copies. The single "Love The World Away", recorded for the movie Urban Cowboy, reached #8 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Some of Kenny's biggest hits are coming up in Part Two!
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