Actor-singer Kenny Rogers, the smooth, Grammy-winning balladeer who spanned jazz, folk, country and pop with such hits as “Lucille,” “Lady” and “Islands in the Stream” and embraced his persona as “The Gambler” on record and on TV died Friday night. He was 81.
“You either do what everyone else is doing and you do it better, or you do what no one else is doing and you don’t invite comparison,” Rogers told The Associated Press in 2015. “And I chose that way because I could never be better than Johnny Cash or Willie or Waylon at what they did. So I found something that I could do that didn’t invite comparison to them. And I think people thought it was my desire to change country music. But that was never my issue.
After the group broke up in 1974, Rogers started his solo career and found a big hit with the sad country ballad “Lucille,” in 1977, which crossed over to the pop charts and earned Rogers his first Grammy. Suddenly the star, Rogers added hit after hit for more than a decade. “In the beginning, the song was called, ‘Baby,’” Richie said. “And because when I first sat with him, for the first 30 minutes, all he talked about was he just got married to a real lady. A country guy like him is married to a lady. So, he said, ‘By the way, what’s the name of the song?’” Richie replies: “Lady.”Over the years, Rogers worked often with female duet partners, most memorably, Dolly Parton.
“From the moment she marched into that room, that song never sounded the same,” Rogers said. “It took on a whole new spirit.”
Source: Entertainment Trends (entertainmenttrends.net)
Sad.
Sad to hear Kenny Rogers passed away. One of the best country singers I grew up with. RIP Kenny Rogers.
RIP. 😥🙏❤
scinga2017 Good bye dear Kenny...
I still listen to his old tapes.. ones I heard growing up. Gives me the open plains and the wild west feel anyday.
RIP
❤️😥
RIP Kenny Rogers. You will be missed.
FIX THE SONG TITLE IN YOUR HEADLINE!! It is NOT 'Lucile'! Lord. This man and his legacy deserves that much. (Maybe this is why Gannett won't hire me - I learned how to spell and I care too much). At least the tweet has it right.
Me hearing the news
Great Singer,Husky Baritone And A Superb,Entertainer RIP.
“Ruby”
2020 getting worse by the minute. There wasn’t a car ride in my childhood that didn’t have at least three rendition of The Gambler and Islands in the Stream. Kenny Rogers was the best. 😢
RIP
Rest in Peace.💫
Wow. 1 of the greats. No question.
What a lost 😔
Was it the China virus?
Sad. RIPKennyRogers ...'You got to know then to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run...' thanks to you I will never forget.
awww will miss Kenny Rogers! a true star!
RIP legend 💔
Lucille was great hit, Kenny Rogers will forever remain a hero
I’ll be talking about the life & times of kennyrogers at 5am ET on from L.A.
Rest In Peace, Kenny. You were an amazing artist.... one of the earliest I can remember listening to.
Goodbye Kenny: you had a good life. My brother & I are no longer on speaking terms & the worst thing about this for me is, we had a running joke about pretending to be musically ignorant. I’d have sent him a quote about ‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ just to lighten the mood.
He was really good in Matrix Reloaded
Damn r.i.p kennyrogers when I was young, my best friend's mom was in love with him this was her favorite song
Oh Ruby, don’t take your lurg to town
I am so sad right now.
RIP.
RIP WITH GOD...
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: THR - 🏆 411. / 53 Read more »
Source: NBCNews - 🏆 10. / 86 Read more »
Source: Variety - 🏆 108. / 63 Read more »
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »
Source: EW - 🏆 713. / 51 Read more »