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Kenny Rogers

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Kenny Rogers
Alternate meaning: Kenny Rogers (baseball player)

Kenneth Donald Rogers (born August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas) is a prolific American country music singer, photographer, producer, songwriter and actor.

His career began in the mid-1950s, when he recorded a number with a doo-wop group. Many years of slow-selling records and playing clubs followed for Rogers, until the formation of The First Edition in 1967 (later renamed "Kenny Rogers and The First Edition). They chalked up a string of hits on both the pop and country charts, including "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", "Reuben James" and "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)." The group split, and Rogers launched his solo career in 1976. Rogers continued to be successful performing for both pop and country audiences; to date, he has charted more than 60 hit singles (including upwards of 20 #1's) and no fewer than 40 hit albums.

Although in the 1990s with the emergence of Garth Brooks, it was noted that this new talent was selling records like noone else had ever in country music, Rogers was nonetheless a dominant force in mainstream music and at his height, was charting singles (and albums) which were literally racing up the top 40 on the pop charts around the world, songs like Lucille, Coward Of The County, The Gambler and Lady became favourites among many music lovers and have remained such, making Rogers one of the most popular entertainers on the touring circuit.

Like many other successful singers, such as Elvis Presley, he also had success as an actor. His 1982 movie "Six Pack" (in which he played a race-car driver) took more than $20 million at the US box office, while made-for-TV movies such as "The Gambler," "Christmas in America" and "Coward of the County" (based on hit songs of his) topped ratings lists. As an entrepreneur, he collaborated with former Kentucky Fried Chicken CEO John Y. Brown, Jr. in 1991 to start up the restaurant chain, Kenny Rogers Roasters. The chicken and ribs chain was famously featured in an episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, when Kramer tried to have the restaurant put out of business due to its annoying red neon light. Kenny Rogers and his restaurant were subjects of comedy from MADtv.

His success is worldwide. For example, he has played many well-attended concerts in Europe and the Far East, where he has charted numerous singles and albums from the 1970s through to the present day. His 1985 greatest-hits package, "The Kenny Rogers Story," reached #1 on the British country chart -- and four years later (in 1989), was still at #2. He also charted internationally during that time with a series of studio albums.

He has been married five times. His fourth wife was the actress Marianne Gordon Rogers. His current wife is the former Wanda Miller. He has a daughter and four sons.

In the 21st century, he had a #1 country hit with "Buy Me A Rose" and released the critically acclaimed album "Back To The Well."

Selected Discography

Albums

With The First Edition

  • The First Edition (1967)
  • The First Edition's Second (1968)
  • The First Edition '69 (1969)
  • Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town (1969)
  • Something's Burning (1970)
  • Tell It All Brother (1970)
  • The Ballad of Calico (1972)
  • Back Roads (1973)
  • At Their Best (1979)

Solo

  • Love Lifted Me (1976)
  • Kenny Rogers (1976)
  • Daytime Friends (1977)
  • Love Or Something Like It (1978)
  • The Gambler (1978)
  • Kenny (1979)
  • Gideon (1980)
  • Christmas (1981)
  • Share Your Love (1981)
  • Love Will Turn You Around (1982)
  • Eyes That See In The Dark (1983)
  • We've Got Tonight (1983)
  • What About Me? (1984)
  • Sunshine (1985)
  • The Heart Of The Matter (1985)
  • I Prefer The Moonlight (1987)
  • Something Inside So Strong (1989)
  • Love Is Strange (1990)
  • Back Home Again (1991)
  • If Only My Heart Had A Voice (1993)
  • Timepiece (Orchestral Sessions) (1994)
  • The Gift (1996)
  • Across My Heart (1997)
  • Always & Forever (1997)
  • Love Songs (1997)
  • She Rides Wild Horses (1999)
  • Christmas Greetings (2000)
  • There You Go Again (2000)
  • Back To The Well (2003)

Compilations

  • Greatest Hits (1971, with the first edition)
  • Ten Years Of Gold (1977, features re-recordings of 1st editon hit's)
  • The Kenny Rogers Singles Album (U.K release, 1979)
  • The Best Of Kenny Rogers (1979)
  • Shine On (European Release, 1980)
  • Greatest Hits (1980)
  • 20 Greatest Hits (1983)
  • The Kenny Rogers Story - 20 Golden Greats (U.K release, 1985)
  • 60's Revisited (1980s, with the 1st edition)
  • 20 Great Years (1990)
  • The Very Best of Kenny Rogers (1990)
  • The Best Of Kenny Rogers (1999)
  • Kenny Rogers - Collection (2000)
  • Through The Years - 20 Greatest Hits (2001)
  • Legends - The Kenny Rogers and The First Edition Collection (2003)
  • 42 Ultimate Hits (2004)

Box Sets

  • Greatest Hits and Finest Performances (5 L.P set) (1986)
  • Through The Years (4 CD) (1999)

Top Songs

  • "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"
  • "But You Know I Love You"
  • "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town"
  • "Reuben James"
  • "Shine On Ruby Mountain"
  • "Something's Burning"
  • "Elvira"
  • "Just Remember Your My Sunshine"
  • "Today, I Started Loving You Again"
  • "The Hoodooin' Of Miss Fanny Deberry"
  • "Heed The Call"
  • "Someone Who Cares"
  • "Love Lifted Me"
  • "While The Feelings Good"
  • "Laura (What's He Got I Ain't Got)"
  • "Puttin' in Overtime At Home"
  • "Lucille" (featured in the motion picture Convoy)
  • "Daytime Friends"
  • "Sweet Music Man"
  • "The Gambler"
  • "She Believes In Me"
  • "Sail Away"
  • "Love Or Something Like It"
  • "Coward Of The County"
  • "You Decorated My Life"
  • "Lady"
  • "The Long Arm Of The Law"
  • "Blaze Of Glory"
  • "Love The World Away" (from the motion picture Urban Cowboy)
  • "Through The Years"
  • "Share Your Love With Me"
  • "Love Will Turn You Around"
  • "Everytime Two Fools Collide" (with Dottie West)
  • "We've Got Tonight" (with Sheena Easton)
  • "I Want A Son"
  • "Maybe You Should Know"
  • "Islands In The Stream" (with Dolly Parton, a Billboard Hot 100 #1)
  • "Love Will Turn You Around" (from the motion picture "Six Pack")
  • "Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight" (with Dottie West)
  • "Eyes That See In The Dark"
  • "Crazy"
  • "20 Years Ago"
  • "Tomb Of The Unknown Love"
  • "Don't Look In My Eyes"
  • "Our Perfect Song"
  • "The Stranger"
  • "Two Hearts, One Love"
  • "Make No Mistake (She's Mine)" (with Ronnie Milsap)
  • "The Factory"
  • "I Prefer The Moonlight"
  • "After All This Time"
  • "The Vows Go Unbroken (Always True To You)"
  • "There Lies The Difference"
  • "What I Did For Love"
  • "Some Prisons Don't Have Walls"
  • "If You Want To Find Love"
  • "The Greatest"
  • "Buy Me A Rose"
  • "Slow Dance More"

See also

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