Kenny Rogers: The Life and Career of a Music Legend

Rogers' publicist, Keith Hagan, said the singer left a mark in the history of both American and world music in the past six decades of his career.

The singer's family announced his death on Twitter on the same day. The family requested to have a private funeral as they do not want to have a huge crowd even from his fans. The planned private funeral is a request of the family to avoid spreading COVID-19 as his death coincides with the pandemic.

For over sixty years of his career, Rogers made many hits in his name, notably. the hit single "Through the Years." However, more than that, who is Kenny Rogers?

Early Life of Kenny Rogers

Rogers was born on August 21, 1938 in Houston, Texas. His real name is Kenneth Ray Rogers. He is the fourth of eight children of Lucille Hester, a nursing assistant and Edward Rogers, a carpenter. He grew up in a housing project in San Felipe Courts. He went to Jefferson Davis high school, where he started his musical career when he formed his first band. He joined the group named the Scholars, of which he was the vocalist and a guitarist.

Rogers' Career

Rogers started his career in 1956 when he left school. In 1958, he went solo with his single "That Crazy Feeling." The song allowed him to guest in the TV show "American Bandstand." He then also played bass in a jazz band named Bobby Doyle Three before moving to Los Angeles and be part of a Christian band. His move to L.A. became the beginning of his success in the music industry under the folk group New Christy Minstrels. The first hit was "Just Dropped In" with the band First Edition. The two also mixed country-rock and folk songs like "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love in Town", a song about a Vietnam veteran wanting his girlfriend to stay.

When the group disbanded in 1974, Rogers pursued a solo career that will make him more famous. He made the big hit "Lucille" in 1977; he landed the pop charts and earned him a Grammy as a result. Another one of his hits is "The Gambler" in 1978; he also won a Grammy. The song was used as a theme song for a TV movie of the same name. In 1985, he sang along with other stars in the production of We Are The World.

Business and Personal Life of Rogers

Rogers is also a popular businessman with his roasted chicken restaurant. He established Kenny Rogers Roasters alongside former KFC CEO John Y. Brown Jr. The restaurant has more than 150 branches in the U.S. and Asia. He also made a movie as a race car driver in the movie Six Pack and collaborated with Sprint car driver CK Spurlock in making his car Gambler Chassis.

Rogers was married four times, He left his fourth wife Wanda Miller-Jones and his children from previous marriages.

Rogers retired from his career via a farewell tour from 2015 to 2017.