Kenny Rogers.

The fourth of eight children born to Edward Floyd Rogers, a carpenter and shipyard worker, and Lucille Rogers, a hospital nurse’s assistant, Kenny Rogers grew up in the poorer section of Houston, Texas. Of Irish and Native American heritage, he became the first in his family to graduate from high school, attending Jefferson Davis High School now Northside High School in 1956. He briefly attended the University of Houston in 1958 but did not graduate. His early interest in singing led him to join a doo-wop group called The Scholars, and at age 19 he recorded his first solo song, That Crazy Feeling, for Carlton Records.

Rogers joined the New Christy Minstrels in 1966 as a singer and bass player, then co-founded The First Edition in 1967. The band scored hits with Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In 1968 and Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town 1969. By 1969, the group renamed to Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, hosting the TV variety series Rollin’ on the River 1971. After the group disbanded in 1976, Rogers launched a solo career that brought #1 hits Lady 1980 and Islands in the Stream with Dolly Parton 1983. He also recorded successful duets with Kim Carnes, Sheena Easton, and Dottie West. By the late 1970s, he had sold over $100 million worth of records. In the 1980s, Rogers branched into acting, starring in the TV movie The Gambler 1980 based on his song, which led to four sequels. He also appeared in Six Pack 1982 and TV movies like Coward of the County 1981. He continued recording, with the 1999 album She Rides Wild Horses peaking at #6 on country charts, including the #1 single Buy Me a Rose.

Rogers married five times: to Janice Gordon 1958-1960, Jean Laverne Massey 1960-1963, Margo Gladys Anderson 1963-1975, Marianne Gordon 1977-1994, and Wanda Miller 1997 until his death. He had five children, including twins Justin Charles and Jordan Edward born in 2004 with Wanda, and son Christopher Cody Rogers with Marianne. He bred Arabian horses on a 1,200-acre Georgia farm. Rogers openly admitted to using 1-900 sex talk numbers and reportedly received extensive plastic surgery, which he acknowledged. In 2015, he embarked on his final tour, The Gambler’s Last Deal, but retired in 2018 due to health issues including bladder cancer and hepatitis C.

Kenny Rogers is remembered as one of the best-selling country music artists of all time, with over 20 top-40 hits from 1977-1984. His duet Islands in the Stream was ranked #1 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Country Duets. He received a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. He also earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1979 and the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. His restaurant chain Kenny Rogers Roasters remains popular in Asia. He inspired a generation of country-pop artists and is best known for his storytelling songs The Gambler and Lucille.