Kenny Rogers Biography, Age, Career, Family, Net worth, Instagram, Twitter
After working with bands and as a solo artist, Kenny Rogers released The Gambler in 1978. The title song became a massive hit in the country and pop and gave Rogers his second Grammy Award. Rogers also recorded several hits with country legend Dottie West and received a significant number 1 song, “Islands in the Stream,” with Dolly Parton. Rogers has also published several books, including an autobiography from 2012.
Early Life
Township singer Donald Rogers was born on August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas. Although his name was Kenneth Donald on his birth certificate, his family still called him “Kenneth Ray.”
Rogers grew up poor, living with his parents and six siblings on a federal housing project. In high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a musical career. He bought a guitar and founded a group called Celebrities. The group had a rockabilly sound and had several local hits.
Career
When he freed himself, Rogers recorded the 1958 single “That Crazy Feeling” for the Carlton label. He even went on to perform the song on the Dick Band popular music show American Bandstand. Changing genres, Rogers then played bass with the Bobby Doyle Trio.
Moving to the folk-pop style, Rogers was invited to join the New Christy Minstrels in 1966. He left for a year, along with several other members of the group, to found the first edition. The fusion of funk, rock, and country, the group quickly came to strike with the psychedelic “Just Dropped In (to see what is my condition).” The group soon became known as Kenny Rogers and First Edition and had their union music show. They scored a few more hits, like Mel Tillis “Ruby, Don’t Make Love to the City.”
Stardom
In 1974, Rogers left the group to return alone and decided to focus his energy on country music. “Love Raised Me” became his first solo hit in the Top 20 in 1975. Two years later, Rogers reached the top of the charts with the sad ballad “Lucille,” about a man his wife had left. The song also hit the charts, reaching the top five and bringing Rogers his first Grammy, for the best country vocal performance, Male.
Quickly after this success, Rogers released The Gambler in 1978. The title song was again a vast country and pop hit and gave Rogers his second Grammy. He also showed his sympathetic side with another popular ballad, “She Believes in Me.” Kenny (1979) presented successes such as “Cowardly County” and “You Decorated My Life.” At that time, he wrote the advice book “Make It With Music: Kenny Rogers’ Guide to the Music Business” (1978).
Family
In 2004, Rogers and his fifth wife, Wanda, welcomed twins Jordan and Justin in July, just a month before their 66th birthday. “They say the twins my age are going to get hurt or break. Right now, I’m looking for a vacation. It would kill me because of the energy they have,” said Rogers, who already had three older children from previous marriages. He told People magazine. The same year, he published his children’s book Christmas in Canaan, which would later become a TV movie.
In April 2018, after Rogers pulled out of a scheduled appearance at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina, the casino announced on Twitter that the singer was canceling the dates of his last tour due to a “string of health problems.”
Death
Rogers died of natural causes at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia, on March 20, 2020. He was 81 years old.
Kenny Rogers Twitter
The Rogers family would like to thank you for the generous outpouring of love and support coming in from all over the world these past two days. It’s a beautiful reminder of the impact Kenny & his music has had & will continue to have on so many. #SweetMusicMan
Pic: Randy Dorman pic.twitter.com/BSEc4Hw99D— Kenny Rogers (@_KennyRogers) March 22, 2020
Kenny Rogers Instagram
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This week marks 40 years since “Kenny” was released! What’s your favorite track?