Musician Kenny Rogers has passed at the age of 81.
Country music went through a boom in the late 70's and early 1980's, and it's hard to think of anyone who crossed over to mainstream Soft Rock popularity more than Kenny Rogers. For a few years there, Rogers was everywhere on the radio and in my parents' record collection. His stardom rose enough that they put him in movies (see: Six Pack) and even based a series of TV movies on his hit song, "The Gambler".
On the back of a huge duets album, Rogers shared a headline act with Dolly Parton at one of the first concerts I ever attended at age 10 (it seems this was November 3rd, 1985). I mean, we all remember "Islands in the Stream".*
By the 90's, Rogers had settled into veteran star status and continued putting out albums, touring, appearing in movies, etc... but it would probably be a surprise to anyone under the age of 38 or so what a huge deal this guy was for a while.
Anyway, I can't say I kept up with Kenny Rogers much since... 1987 or so. But there's no question Rogers was a huge part of a certain era. At our house, his records spun on the turntable and we were called into the room if he was going to appear on TV (and my mom would exclaim "oh, he's so good!"). Circa 1995 my brother and I treated Jamie to an impromptu duet of "The Gambler" which she first found charming and then alarming as we would not stop.
Here's to Kenny Rogers.
*or, as the kids know it, that old skool Diddy track, "Ghetto Superstar"
And had a chicken franchise.
ReplyDeleteHe did! Reading the wikipedia entry is a wild ride of American enterprise gone to seed.
ReplyDeleteWyclef Jean was the producer on Ghetto Supastar, not Diddy. I wonder how many people remember the movie Bulworth?
ReplyDeleteGood catch. I guess I was thinking of that *other* time someone just recycled a very well known pop tune with "I'll Be Missing You", turning someone's death into a cash cow and not even bothering to try to write a new song.
ReplyDelete