Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, entrepreneur and author. He is best known as a successful country singer, but has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres and topped the country and pop album charts.

Rogers has released thirty-two studio albums and eighty singles. Among his singles, twenty-one have reached Number One on the country music charts including "The Gambler" and "Coward of the County". Two of his country hits, "Lady" and "Islands in the Stream"  which was a duet with Dolly Parton, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. He has received numerous awards from the AMAs, Grammys, ACMs and CMAs, as well as a lifetime achievement award.

He began his musical career in the mid 1950s with a rockabilly group called The Scholars. In 1958, he released his first single "That Crazy Feeling". Rogers would join a jazz group called The Bobby Doyle Trio, until it disbanded in 1965. He also worked as a producer, writer and session musician for other performers; including country artists Mickey Gilley and Eddy Arnold. In 1966, he joined The New Christy Minstrels as a singer and double bass player.

Rogers and fellow members Mike Settle, Terry Williams, and Thelma Camacho would create a new band The First Edition in 1967. When the group split in 1976, Rogers launched his solo career.

In 1976, Rogers first solo album was Love Lifted Me which featured two singles, "Love Lifted Me" and "While the Feeling's Good". "Runaway Girl" was featured in the motion picture Trackdown. Rogers would release his second album, Kenny Rogers, which featured the single "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)".

In 1977, the single "Lucille" was a major hit, reaching number one on the pop charts in 12 countries, selling over five million copies. The album Kenny Rogers would reach No. 1 in the Billboard Country Album Chart.

Other hits for Rogers include the multi-million selling album The Gamble and the single, "Coward of the County", taken from the album, Kenny.

In the late 1970s, Rogers teamed up with Dottie West for a series of albums and duets. The duo earned two gold records, 2 CMA Awards, an ACM nomination, two Grammy nominations and 1 Music City News Award for their two hit albums, Every Time Two Fools Collide and Classics, Their hits include "Every Time Two Fools Collide", "Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight", "What Are We Doin' in Love", "All I Ever Need Is You" and "Till I Can Make It On My Own".

In 1980, he had a duet with Kim Carnes on "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" and teamed with Lionel Richie on "Lady". Richie went on to produce Rogers' 1981 album Share Your Love, which featured "I Don't Need You", "Through the Years and "Share Your Love with Me. Rogers' first Christmas album was also released that same year.

In 1982, Rogers released the album Love Will Turn You Around and the single "The Love Will Turn You Around" was the theme song of Rogers' 1982 film Six Pack. In 1983, he recorded the Bob Seger cover "We've Got Tonight", with Sheena Easton.

His 1983 hit album Eyes That See in the Dark featued the title track and "Islands in the Stream", a duet with Dolly Parton. The song topped the Billboard country and adult contemporary singles charts and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Rogers would reunite with Parton in 1984 for a holiday album and TV special, Once Upon a Christmas, as well as a 1985 duet "Real Love".

The album What About Me? featured the title track which was was nominated for a Grammy awar dfollowed by his 1985 album, The Heart of the Matter. Other country hits include "Twenty Years Ago", "Morning Desire" and "Tomb of the Unknown Love". In January 1985, Rogers was one of the 45 artists who recorded the worldwide charity song "We Are the World" to support hunger victims in Africa.

In the 1990s, Rogers continued to chart with singles such as "Crazy In Love", "If You Want To Find Love" and "The Greatest". His second Christmas album entitled "Christmas in America" was released in 1989. In 1994, Rogers released Timepiece, an album of 1930s/40s jazz standards.

In 1996, he released Vote For Love where the public requested their favorite love songs and Rogers performed the songs. In 1999, Rogers recorded the single "The Greatest", which reached the top 40 of Billboard's Country singles chart and was a Country Music Television Number One video. It was on Rogers' album She Rides Wild Horses the following year.

In 2000, Rogers released the single "Buy Me a Rose". In 2004, 42 Ultimate Hits was released and featured two new songs, "My World Is Over" with Whitney Duncan and "We Are the Same". In 2005, The Very Best of Kenny Rogers, a double album, was released in the United Kingdom.

Rogers continues to tour and perform around the world.