Kenny Rogers was an American country singer who sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Rogers was a pioneer of the country-pop crossover genre, achieving significant success in both country and pop music charts.
Born in Houston, Texas, Rogers was the fourth of eight children and the first in his family to graduate high school.
Biography
Early Life
Kenneth Donald Ray Rogers was born on August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas, as the fourth of eight children. His parents, Lucille Lois Rogers and Edward Floyd Rogers, struggled financially, living in a public housing project. Despite these challenges, Rogers showed early promise in music, winning a talent show at the Texan Theatre in 1949. He graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in 1956 and later attended the University of Houston, becoming the first in his family to graduate high school.
Career
Rogers's music career began in the 1950s, transitioning from rock and roll to become a prominent country-pop crossover artist in the 1970s and 1980s. He first gained attention with the group the New Christy Minstrels before forming Kenny Rogers and the First Edition in 1967, which produced hits like "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" and "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)." After the group disbanded in 1976, Rogers launched a successful solo career, releasing iconic albums such as "The Gambler" and "Love Lifted Me." Over his lifetime, he sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Personal Life
Rogers was married five times and had five children. His marriages included notable figures such as actress Marianne Gordon and Wanda Miller, with whom he had twin sons. He was known for his love of animals, keeping a pet goat named Smitty at his estate in Georgia. In his later years, Rogers faced health challenges, including Alzheimer's disease and bladder cancer, ultimately passing away on March 20, 2020, at the age of 81. He was interred in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, leaving behind a legacy as a beloved figure in country music.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Love Is Strange1990
- 1.Love Is Strange3:28
- 2.Soldier of Love2:51
- 3.Listen to the Rain3:36
- 4.If I Were a Painting3:46
- 5.Crazy in Love4:18
- 6.Lay My Body Down4:05
- 7.So Little Love in the World4:17
- 8.Walk Away4:39
- 9.In Our Old Age3:57
- 10.What I Did for Love3:28
Something Inside So Strong1989
- 1.Planet Texas4:53
- 2.(Something Inside) So Strong5:02
- 3.If I Knew Then What I Know Now3:55
- 4.One Night4:41
- 5.There Lies the Difference4:26
- 6.If I Ever Fall in Love Again3:40
- 7.When You Put Your Heart in It3:53
- 8.The Vows Go Unbroken (Always True to You)3:34
- 9.Maybe3:31
- 10.Love the Way You Do7:48
Christmas In America1989
- 1.Christmas in America3:02
- 2.Winter Wonderland2:10
- 3.I’ll Be Home for Christmas3:05
- 4.Silver Bells3:56
- 5.Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas3:27
- 6.Christmas in America (reprise)1:03
- 7.Joy to the World1:56
- 8.Away in a Manger1:23
- 9.O Little Town of Bethlehem2:42
- 10.God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen1:25
- 11.The First Noel2:42
- 12.Christmas in America (Segue)0:22
- 13.What Child Is This1:50
- 14.Silent Night2:27
I Prefer the Moonlight1987
- 1.I Prefer the Moonlight5:11
- 2.Now and Forever4:10
- 3.We’re Doin’ Alright4:00
- 4.Make No Mistake, She’s Mine3:58
- 5.One More Day2:57
- 6.She’s Ready for Someone to Love Her2:52
- 7.I Don’t Call Him Daddy4:09
- 8.The Factory3:26
- 9.We Fell in Love Anyway3:22
- 10.You Can’t Say (You Don’t Love Me Anymore)3:14
They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To1986
- 1.This Love We Share4:31
- 2.If I Could Hold on to Love4:15
- 3.You're My Love4:06
- 4.Time for Love3:22
- 5.They Don't Make Them Like They Used To4:31
- 6.Life Is Good, Love Is Better3:55
- 7.Just the Thought of Losing You4:13
- 8.Anything at All4:35
- 9.After All This Time4:17
- 10.Twenty Years Ago3:44
The Heart of the Matter1985
- 1.I Don’t Want to Have to Worry3:41
- 2.The Heart of the Matter4:37
- 3.You Made Me Feel Love3:41
- 4.Morning Desire4:10
- 5.Don’t Look in My Eyes3:35
- 6.The Best of Me4:02
- 7.Tomb of the Unknown Love4:03
- 8.People in Love3:04
- 9.I Can’t Believe Your Eyes3:02
- 10.Our Perfect Song4:01
What About Me?1984
- 1.What About Me?4:20
- 2.The Night Goes On4:34
- 3.Dream Dancin’4:23
- 4.Two Hearts, One Love3:35
- 5.I Don’t Want to Know Why4:02
- 6.Didn’t We?3:52
- 7.Somebody Took My Love3:49
- 8.Crazy3:40
- 9.The Stranger3:43
- 10.Heart to Heart3:39
Once Upon a Christmas1984
- 1.I Believe in Santa Claus3:18
- 2.Winter Wonderland / Sleigh Ride3:37
- 3.Christmas Without You3:52
- 4.The Christmas Song3:20
- 5.A Christmas to Remember4:00
- 6.With Bells On2:38
- 7.Silent Night3:15
- 8.The Greatest Gift of All3:42
- 9.White Christmas3:02
- 10.Once Upon a Christmas4:19
We’ve Got Tonight1983
- 1.We’ve Got Tonight3:49
- 2.Scarlet Fever4:18
- 3.Farther I Go3:27
- 4.No Dreams3:25
- 5.Bad Enough3:14
- 6.All My Life3:49
- 7.How Long3:51
- 8.Love Love Love3:28
- 9.What I Learned From Loving You3:50
- 10.You Are So Beautiful2:50
Eyes That See in the Dark1983
- 1.This Woman3:59
- 2.You and I4:38
- 3.Buried Treasure4:12
- 4.Islands in the Stream4:10
- 5.Living With You3:10
- 6.Evening Star3:40
- 7.Hold Me4:15
- 8.Midsummer Nights3:51
- 9.I Will Always Love You4:23
- 10.Eyes That See in the Dark3:43
Love Will Turn You Around1982
- 1.Love Will Turn You Around3:36
- 2.A Love Song3:14
- 3.Fighting Fire With Fire2:29
- 4.Maybe You Should Know2:36
- 5.Somewhere Between Lovers and Friends2:53
- 6.Take This Heart3:19
- 7.If You Can Lie a Little Bit3:34
- 8.I’ll Take Care of You2:32
- 9.The Fool in Me4:03
- 10.I Want a Son3:09
Share Your Love1981
Tracklist not collected yet.
Christmas1981
- 1.Christmas Everyday3:44
- 2.Kentucky Homemade Christmas4:15
- 3.Carol of the Bells2:44
- 4.Kids2:43
- 5.Sweet Little Jesus Boy3:04
- 6.Christmas Is My Favorite Time of the Year2:43
- 7.White Christmas (1981 version)2:49
- 8.My Favorite Things3:02
- 9.O Holy Night4:39
- 10.When a Child Is Born3:51
Gideon1980
Tracklist not collected yet.
Classics1979
Tracklist not collected yet.
Kenny1979
Tracklist not collected yet.
Every Time Two Fools Collide1978
Tracklist not collected yet.
Love or Something Like It1978
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Gambler1978
Tracklist not collected yet.
Daytime Friends1977
Tracklist not collected yet.
Kenny Rogers1976
Tracklist not collected yet.
Love Lifted Me1976
Tracklist not collected yet.
691969
Tracklist not collected yet.
Kenny Rogers: The Collection2009
Tracklist not collected yet.
Kenny Rogers Autograph Collection2006
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Atlantic Records
- Record label
- Capitol Records
- Record label
- Capitol Records Nashville
- Record label
- Curb Records
- Record label
- Giant Records
- Record label
- Mercury Records
- Record label
- RCA Records
- Record label
- Reprise Records
- Record label
- United Artists Records
- Record label
- Warner Music Group
- Record label
- Warner Bros. Records
Achievements
- Award
- Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance
- Award
- Favorite Country Single
- Award
- American Music Award for Favorite Country Album
- Award
- Favorite Country Male Artist
- Award
- Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
- Award
- American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album
- Award
- People's Choice Award for Favorite Country Artist
- Award
- American Music Award of Merit
- Award
- Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
- Award
- Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- Horatio Alger Award
- Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Award
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Groups
- Kenny Rogers & The First Editioncurrent
- The Bobby Doyle Threecurrent
- The New Christy Minstrelscurrent
- The Scholarscurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Kenneth Donald Rogers, Kenneth Rogers, Kenny Rodgers
US country singer, songwriter, actor, record producer & entrepreneur
Kenneth Donald Ray Rogers was an American singer-songwriter. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences, but also charted more than 120 hit singles across various genres, topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone. He sold more than 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. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.
All links
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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