Kenny Rogers Biography: Legendary Country Music Star

Mainstream Success

In 1974, Rogers left the group to go solo again. He chose to focus his energy on nation songs and "Love Lifted Me" became his first solo top 20 country hit in 1975. 2 years later on, Rogers reached the top of the nation charts with the mournful ballad "Lucille," about a man being left by his spouse. The track additionally did well on the pop charts, making it into the leading 5. It also delivered Rogers his first Grammy Award-- this time for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
Quickly following up this success, Rogers released The Gambler in 1978. The title track came to be another massive nation and pop hit and provided Rogers his second Grammy Award. He also showed his tender side on the recording with the prominent ballad "She Believes in Me." Kenny (1979) featured such favorites as "Coward of the County" and "You Decorated My Life." Around this time, he wrote the guidance book Making It With Music: Kenny Rogers' Guide to the Music Business (1978).
In addition to his solo work, Rogers tape-recorded a series of favorites with nation legend Dottie West. The two reached the top of the nation charts with "Every Time Two Fools Collide" (1978), "All I Ever Need Is You" (1979) and "What Are We Doin' In Love" (1981). Also in 1981, Rogers held the No. 1 spot on the pop charts for six weeks with his version of Lionel Richie's "Lady."
By this time, Rogers was a true crossover artist, appreciating huge success on both the country and pop charts. He collaborated with such pop stars as Kim Carnes and Sheena Easton. Resorting to acting, Rogers starred in many television motion pictures encouraged by his tunes, consisting of 1980's The Gambler, which generated a number of part twos, and 1981's Coward of the County. On the big display, he played a race car driver in the comedy Six Pack (1982).
In 1983, Rogers scored one of his biggest hits: a duet with Dolly Parton called "Islands in the Stream." Created by the Bee Gees, the tune went to the top of both the country and pop charts. Rogers and Parton won the Academy of Nation Music Award for Single of the Year for their efforts. After this, Rogers continued to flourish as a nation popular music artist, but his capacity to crossover to pop music success started to subside. Amongst the favorites from this period is his duet with Ronnie Milsap, "Make No Error, She's Mine," which won the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Duo Country Vocal Performance.
Branching Out
In addition to music, Rogers also demonstrated a passion for photography. Pictures that he took while taking a trip around the country were published in the 1986 collection Kenny Roger's America. "New music is what I am, but photography would undoubtedly be second," he later explained to Individuals magazine. The subsequent year, Rogers released one more collection called Your Friends and Mine.
Continuing to act, Rogers appeared in such television motion pictures as Christmas in America (1990) and MacShayne: Winner Takes All (1994). Rogers also started checking out other company options. In 1991, he started his very own restaurant franchise called Kenny Rogers Roasters. He later sold the venture to Nathan's Famous, Inc. in 1998.
That same year, Rogers produced his very own record label, Dreamcatcher Entertainment. He also starred in his very own off-Broadway Christmas show The Toy Shoppe around that time. Releasing his next album, She Rides Wild Horses, in 1999, Rogers appreciated a return to the charts with the favorite