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| Kenny Rogers at Magic Springs Kenny Rogers will perform a special concert, "An Evening With Kenny Rogers, " on Thursday, May 25 at Magic Springs in Arkansas. By now, Kenny Rogers has become such an icon that it's easy to forget how he got there. The songs on 42 Ultimate Hits, bringing together the top songs of his career from the late 60s First Edition years up to his current return to the charts, offers a crash-course reminder that Rogers is a star because he excels at his craft. Just look at the titles: "Lady, " "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town, " "The Gambler, " "She Believes in Me, " "Islands in the Stream, " "We've Got Tonight, " "Buy Me A Rose." Not a ditty among them. Then listen. The sweetly raspy vocals are instantly identifiable as Kenny Rogers - he sounds like nobody else. More importantly, he inhabits each song, making it vivid and tangible. For more than five decades, Rogers has delivered memorable songs, drawing fans among rock, pop, soul and country audiences. When one singer makes such an indelible mark, that's not mere luck or even simple talent. "I really, really love what I'm doing, " Rogers says. "People survive longer if they love what they're doing. Because you just don't quit." Houston-born Rogers formed his first band while in high school in 1956 and never quit making music from that point on. The rockabilly group, called The Scholars, got a record deal and released two singles that had local success, and led to a performance spot on American Bandstand. Soon afterward, Rogers joined the Bobby Doyle Trio, playing stand-up bass in the jazz band, and appearing on their album. In 1966 he became a member of the New Christy Minstrels, the popular folk group, leaving a year later to form The First Edition with other members of the troupe. The spotlight started focusing on Rogers when the group got their first hit, "I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)." Within a year the band was called Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, and his distinctive voice led the group to both pop and country chart success with "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town, " written by Mel Tillis. The double-genre success struck again with "Reuben James, " and the group landed their own TV variety show. In 1974, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition disbanded, leaving Rogers at a crossroads. Disillusioned with the fickleness of the pop world, but not with music itself, he searched for a direction to take his solo career. Impressed by the loyalty of country fans that supported their favorite artists long after they had disappeared from radio, Rogers looked to country. He'd already had some success among country fans with the First Edition and he was drawn to the type of story songs that populated the genre. It was the perfect transition for him. "Love Lifted Me, " went Top 20 in 1975, but it was "Lucille" that shot him into the stratosphere. Tops at country, it also succeeded on the pop chart, was named the CMA's Single of the Year and was certified Gold. "Daytime Friends, " "Sweet Music Man, " and "Love or Something Like It" continued his run of success. Then came "The Gambler, " a story song so vivid it not only delighted country and pop fans, it also became a TV movie, starring Rogers himself in the title role. The movie spawned four follow-ups, making it the longest running miniseries franchise on television. It started Rogers on a second career as an actor on television and movies, including another TV movie based on one of his hit songs, "Coward of the County." Though theoretically a country singer, Rogers dominated the pop charts, consistently finding songs with universal appeal. "I've never considered myself a great singer, but I am a great storyteller, " Rogers told Billboard magazine, also noting that he feels his strength as an artist is in finding great songs. In the 1980s he came to embody the role of the sensitive male, singing such romantic hits as "Through The Years, " "She Believes In Me, " "You Decorated My Life, " and "Lady, " the biggest song of his career. Those songs are classics today, sung at countless weddings, and even engraved on tombstones." write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |