KENNY ROGERS THE COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND (AUGUST 21, 1938 – MARCH 20, 2020)

Kenneth Ray Rogers who is popularly known as Kenny Rogers was an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and entrepreneur. He sold over 100 million records worldwide during his lifetime, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. His fame and career spanned multiple genres: jazz, folk, pop, rock, and country. He remade his career and was one of the most successful cross-over artists of all time.

KENNY ROGERS

Kenny Rogers began his recording career in the late 1950s, with the Houston-based group the Scholars, who first released "The Poor Little Doggie". After some solo releases including 1958'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 Minstrels where he played double bass and bass guitar as well as singing. In 1967, he and several members of the New Christy Minstrels left to found the group The First Edition, with whom he scored his first major hit, “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), a psychedelic rock song which peaked at number five on the Billboard charts.

KENNY ROGERS & THE FIRST EDITION

After the broke up of The First Edition band in 1976, Kenny Rogers embarked on a long and successful solo career, which included several successful collaborations, including duets with singers Dolly Parton and Sheena Easton. He also had a songwriting partnership with Lionel Richie. Kenny Rogers signature song, “The Gambler” released in 1978 was a cross-over 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 Congress. Rogers developed the Gambler persona into a character for a successful series of television films in the 1980s.

KENNY ROGERS IN DUET WITH DOLLY PARTON

Kenny Rogers was married five times and had five children. His first marriage was to Janice Gordon on May 15, 1958; they divorced in April 1960 with one child, Carole Lynne. He married his second wife, Jean, in October 1960 and divorced her in 1963. His third marriage was to Margo Anderson in October 1964; they divorced in 1976 with one child. He married his fourth wife Marianne Gordon on October 1, 1977, and they divorced in 1993 with one child. Kenny Rogers fifth marriage was to Wanda Miller on June 1, 1997. They had twin sons and were married for 22 years until his death.

KENNY ROGERS AND CHILDREN

Kenny Rogers passed away peacefully on Saturday March 20, 2020 at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family. He was aged 81. May his soul rest in peace.