“The Best of Kenny Rogers: Through the Years” Album, No. 1 on the Charts

The album was released in 2018, and on March 30, 2020 Billboard announced it hitting the charts. The last time Rogers hit the top spot was in December 1985 with the album "The Heart of the Matter" that remained at the chart for six weeks.

The legendary country singer-songwriter passed away due to natural causes at his Georgia home on March 20, 2020. At 81, he left behind wife, Wanda Miller-Jones and children from previous marriages.

Kenny Roger's Billboard history

"The Best of Kenny Rogers: Through the Years", as reported by Billboard, earned 32,000 equivalent album units in the week ending March 26. Equivalent album units are the total album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums.

On the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, the greatest hits collection debuted at number nine.

The album included 16 of the multi-awarded singer's 21 songs that reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. Several of the iconic tracks from the album were "Lady", "The Gambler", and "Lucille."

According to Billboard history, a total of 12 albums peaked at number one on the Top Country Albums chart. The most popular album was "The Gambler," which earned him a Grammy award.

Awards for Kenny Rogers

According to his biography on his official website, the trophies that Rogers bagged include three Grammy Awards, 19 American Music Awards, 11 People's Choice Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards, six Country Music Association Awards and the Artist of a Lifetime Award at the CMT Artists of the Year 2015. The late singer also received the 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Entertainment Buyers Association. Rogers had likewise been a recipient of other awards for his charity works.

The multi-awarded country singer authored his autobiography, "Luck or Something Like It - A Memoir", which was launched in 2012. The book became a New York Times Best Seller.

Photography was also one of Rogers' passion. He produced several books of his photographed images when he traveled around the U.S. These images were published in 1986's "Kenny Rogers' America" and 1987's "Your Friends and Mine". Notably, he gained a citation of Honorary Masters of Photography from the Professional Photographers of America in 2014.

To learn more about his colorful career, please click here.

Rogers' family request

The family of the Country Music Hall of Famer previously announced that a private funeral would be best at this time due to the government's call to social distancing. They requested fans to offer donations to MusiCares' Coronavirus Relief Fund instead of sending gifts to the family. They believe this is the best and meaningful way to honor his six-decade legacy.

MusiCares' Coronavirus Relief Fund is a foundation formed by the Recording Academy, the organization that produces the Grammy Awards. The group aims to generate much-needed funds for artists, musicians, and other personnel from the music industry who are now out of work as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.