A remarkable story of a boy who couldn''t stop singing, and a
man who knew how to hold ''em
For more than half a century, Kenny Rogers has been recording
some of the most revered and beloved music in America and around
the world. In that time, he has become a living legend by combining
everything from R&B to country and gospel to folk in his unique
voice to create a sound that''s both wholly original and instantly
recognizable.
Now, in his first-ever memoir, Kenny details his lifelong
journey to becoming one of American music''s elder statesmen-a rare
talent who''s created hit records for decades while staying true to
his values as a performer and a person. Exploring the struggles of
his long road, his story begins simply: growing up in
Depression-era Texas, living in the projects, surviving in poverty,
and listening to his mother, who always had just the right piece of
wisdom.
Recounting his early years, first as a jazz bassist and later as
a member of the pioneering folk group the New Christy Minstrels,
Kenny charts how he came into his own as an artist with the First
Edition, only to have the band''s breakup in the 1970s raise
questions about his musical future. Yet, as Kenny explains, it was
precisely this soul-searching that led him to a new direction on
his own in Nashville. Telling the stories that have become legends
in a town that''s seen many of them, he recalls the making of his
career in country music and his most memorable songs, including
"Lucille," "The Gambler," "Lady," and "Islands in the Stream."
Along the way, heshares the friendships, both big and small, that
have meant the most to him, describing the good times he''s had
with Dottie West, Lionel Richie, and, of course, Dolly Parton, and
how through it all he continues to make music with the passion that
has defined him from the start.
Staring across the decades, Kenny writes a story seemingly
straight from one of his songs. The end result is a rollicking ride
through fifty years of music history, which offers a heartwarming
testament to a time when country music wasn''t just a brand but a
way of life.
