Kenny Rogers

Artist Image: Kenny Rogers
Attribution
Image Credit: John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA (KennyRogers), CC BY-SA 2.0

Biography

Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers (* 21. August 1938 in Houston, Texas); † 20. März 2020 Sandy Springs, Georgia) was an U.S singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. Though he has been most successful with country audiences, he has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres and topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone. Two of his albums, The Gambler and Kenny, are featured in the About.com poll of "The 200 Most Influential Country Albums Ever". He was voted the "Favorite Singer of All-Time" in a 1986 joint poll by readers of both USA Today and People. He has received numerous such awards as the AMAs, Grammys, ACMs and CMAs, as well as a lifetime achievement award for a career spanning six decades in 2003. Later success includes the 2006 album release, Water & Bridges, an across the board hit, that peaked at No. 5 in the Billboard Country Albums sales charts, also charting high in the Billboard 200. The first single from the album, "I Can't Unlove You," was also a chart hit. Remaining a popular entertainer around the world, the following year he completed a tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, telling BBC Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright his favorite hit was "The Gambler". He has also acted in a variety of movies and television shows, most notably the title roles in Kenny Rogers as The Gambler and the MacShayne series as well as his appearance on The Muppet Show.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1956
Number of Albums 56
Record Label Capitol Records Nashville
Website www.kennyrogers.com
Wikipedia Kenny Rogers on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Genres

Pop Country

Trivia

How many siblings did Rogers have?

seven

...stars, Rogers came from humble roots. Born in Houston, Texas, he and his seven siblings were raised in one of the poorest sections of town. Neverthele...
Where was Rogers born?

Houston, Texas

...ike many country superstars, Rogers came from humble roots. Born in Houston, Texas , he and his seven siblings were raised in one of the poorest sectio...
What two instruments did he learn in high school?

guitar and fiddle

...progressed through high school, all the while learning how to play guitar and fiddle . When he was a senior, he played in a rockabilly band called the ...
How many singles did the Scholars release?

three

...senior, he played in a rockabilly band called the Scholars, who released three singles including Kangewah, which was written by Louella Parsons. Follo...
Who wrote Kangewah?

Louella Parsons

...who released three singles including Kangewah, which was written by Louella Parsons . Following his graduation, he released two singles, We'll Always F...
What was the name of the Bobby Doyle Three's first album?

In a Most Unusual Way

...the Bobby Doyle Three. The Bobby Doyle Three released one album, In a Most Unusual Way , before Rogers left the group to play with the Kirby Stone Four...
Who did Rogers play with?

Kirby Stone Four

... a Most Unusual Way, before Rogers left the group to play with the Kirby Stone Four . He didn't stay long with Stone and soon landed a solo record cont...
When did Kenny Rogers release The Gambler?

1978

...ng with bands and as a solo artist, Kenny Rogers released The Gambler in 1978 . The title track became a huge country and pop hit and gave Rogers his s...
What was the title track of the 1978 album?

The Gambler

...After working with bands and as a solo artist, Kenny Rogers released The Gambler in 1978. The title track became a huge country and pop hit and gave R...
Who did Rogers work with on a series of hits with?

Dottie West

...ammy Award. Rogers also recorded a series of hits with country legend Dottie West and scored a big No. Rogers also published several books, including ...
How many siblings lived with Rogers in a federal housing project?

six

... called him Kenneth Ray. Rogers grew up poor, living with his parents and six siblings in a federal housing project. By high school, he knew that he w...
Rogers wanted to pursue what career?

music

...eral housing project. By high school, he knew that he wanted to pursue a music career. He bought himself a guitar and started a group called the Schol...
What instrument did he buy himself?

guitar

...l, he knew that he wanted to pursue a music career. He bought himself a guitar and started a group called the Scholars. The band had a rockabilly soun...
How many records did Kenny Rogers sell worldwide?

over 100 million

...Kenny Rogers songs: What were his biggest tracks? Selling over 100 million records worldwide, Kenny Rogers was one of the bestselling artists of all t...
How many children did he have?

five

...w many children did he have? Kenny Rogers was married five times and had five children in total. His first wife was Janice Gordon, and they were marri...
What was his first wife's name?

Janice Gordon

...arried five times and had five children in total. His first wife was Janice Gordon , and they were married from 1958 to 1960. They had one child togeth...
In what city is the Scholars based?

Houston

...all time. In the late 1950s, Rogers began his recording career with the Houston based group the Scholars, who first released The Poor Little Doggie. Af...
What jazz singer did Rogers join in 1966?

Bobby Doyle

...s That Crazy Feeling, Rogers then joined a group with the jazz singer Bobby Doyle . In 1966, he became a member of the folk ensemble the New Christy Mi...
Rogers joined the folk ensemble the New Christy Minstrels in what year?

1966

...Feeling, Rogers then joined a group with the jazz singer Bobby Doyle. In 1966 , he became a member of the folk ensemble the New Christy Minstrels, play...
What was Rogers' first album called?

The Poor Little Doggie

...er with the Houstonbased group the Scholars, who first released The Poor Little Doggie . After some solo releases, including 1958's That Crazy Feeling,...
What was the name of the album that Rogers released in 1969?

Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town

...role in the First Edition following the success of 1969's Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town , the band gradually changed styles to a more country feel...
In what year did The Gambler win a Grammy Award?

1980

..., 1978's The Gambler, was a crossover hit that won him a Grammy Award in 1980 and was selected in 2018 for preservation in the National Recording Regi...
What year was the Gambler selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress?

2018

... a crossover hit that won him a Grammy Award in 1980 and was selected in 2018 for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Co...
What group did Kenny join as a teenager?

The Scholars

...n singing and, as a teenager, joined a doowop recording group called The Scholars . The group recorded the song Poor Little Doggie, and Kenny, age 19, ...
What song did The Scholars record?

Poor Little Doggie

... recording group called The Scholars. The group recorded the song Poor Little Doggie , and Kenny, age 19, recorded his first solo song, That Crazy Feel...
When did Keny record his first solo song?

Carlton Records

...his first solo song, That Crazy Feeling, for a small Houston label, Carlton Records , and his career was off and running. Other successes would include...
When did the group change their name to Kenny Rogers and the First Edition?

1969

...nd the group changed their name to Kenny Rogers and the First Edition in 1969 . Sadly, the pressures of taping a weekly show caused extreme friction wi...
What year did the Silver Fox disband?

1976

...ng songs that couldn't reach the Top 20, the group decided to disband in 1976 and, inevitable as it was, Kenny went solo. By the late 1970s, the (now)...
Who were the country female stars that he made hit duets with?

Parton and Dottie West

... He also made popular hit duets with both country female stars ( Parton and Dottie West ) as well as the distaff pop elite (Kim Carnes and Sheena Easton...
What award did Rogers win?

GRAMMY

... GRAMMY Awardwinning superstar Kenny Rogers enjoyed exceptional success during his storied career of over six decades. With his staying power and unive...
How many Platinum albums was Rogers the bestselling male artist of all time according to the RIAA?

20

...ng male artists of alltime according to the RIAA, with one Diamond album, 20 Platinum albums and 11 Gold. He recorded 24 No. 1 hits (including classic...
Rogers recorded how many No. 1 hits?

24

...RIAA, with one Diamond album, 20 Platinum albums and 11 Gold. He recorded 24 No. 1 hits (including classics like The Gambler, Lady, Islands In The Str...
How many times has he charted a song within the last seven decades?

each

...e, and Through The Years), 12 No. Miraculously, he charted a song within each of the last seven decades. His music has always crossed boundaries, with...
What year did Rogers win his biggest award?

2013

...Rogers has won awards from every organization imaginable. In the fall of 2013 , Rogers was bestowed with his biggest honor, being inducted as a member ...
What was his first solo single?

That Crazy Feeling

...igh school, he started his first band, the Scholars. He performed That Crazy Feeling , his first solo single (1957), on the hugely popular music televi...
When did Rogers sign for Carlton Records?

1958

...mediately, and he was signed to a small local label, Carlton Records, in 1958 . After a year Rogers and a few other Minstrels left to form their own en...
What was Kenny Rogers' first major hit?

Lucille

...is stride. Going solo again, he had his first major hit with the ballad Lucille , which won him a Grammy Award for best male country vocal performance ...
Who was the actor who played Rogers and the First Edition?

Jason Robards

... to as Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. King, and Al Green; actor Jason Robards ; and comedians Cheech and Chong. In the late 1970s Rogers hit his s...
In what decade did Rogers hit his stride?

1970s

... Green; actor Jason Robards; and comedians Cheech and Chong. In the late 1970s Rogers hit his stride. Going solo again, he had his first major hit wit...