Kenny Rogers

Kenneth Donald Rogers (born August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas) is a prolific American country music singer, photographer, producer, songwriter and actor.

Although he has been very successful, many still consider him a va

Kenneth Donald Rogers (born August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas) is a prolific American country music singer, photographer, producer, songwriter and actor.

Although he has been very successful, many still consider him a vastly underrated artist. His career began in the mid-1950s, when he recorded with a do-wop group called The Scholars. Their break up was followed by a minor solo hit called "That Crazy Feeling" (1958). After sales slowed down, Kenneth Rogers (as he was billed then) joined a Jazz group called The Bobby Doyle Trio. Disbanded in 1965, a 1966 jazzy rock single for Mercury called "Here's That Rainy Day" failed. In 1966 he joint New Christy Minstrels. He left with fellow members Mike Settle, Terry Williams and Thelma Camacho. They formed The First Edition in 1967 (later renamed "Kenny Rogers and The First Edition). They chalked up a string of hits on both the pop and country charts, including "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", "Reuben James" and "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)." In his First Edition days Rogers had long brown hair, an earring, and pink sunglasses. Known affectionately in retrospect as "Hippie Kenny", Rogers had a much smoother vocal style at the time. A thin man when the group first started, from about 1971 on he had begun to gain weight and slightly gray. The group split, and Rogers launched his solo career in 1976 and he developed a more middle of the road gravel voiced style that sold to both pop and country audiences; to date, he has charted more than 60 hit singles (including upwards of 20 #1's) and no fewer than 40 hit albums.