Kenny Rogers

===Solo career and duets with other artists===
The First Edition broke up in 1975, which was a rough time for the recently divorced Rogers. That year, he was the face of a national commercial advertising the "Quick Pickin' Fun Strummin' Home Guitar Course."<ref>{{cite web|website=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/kenny-rogers-death-singer-country-pop-music-the-gambler-lucille-age-cause-a9417971.html|title=Kenny Rogers: Country singer who crossed over into mainstream pop success|first=Terence|last=McArdle|date=March 23, 2020|accessdate=February 18, 2024}}</ref> But in 1976, Rogers signed a solo deal with [[United Artists]].<ref name="DeYoung" /> Producer [[Larry Butler (producer)|Larry Butler]] and Rogers began a partnership that would last four years.<ref>{{cite news | first = Bill | last = Friskics-Warren | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/arts/music/larry-butler-producer-for-kenny-rogers-dies-at-69.html | title = Larry Butler, Producer for Kenny Rogers, Dies at 69 | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date = January 24, 2012 | access-date = October 10, 2012}}</ref>

Rogers's first outing for his new label was ''[[Love Lifted Me (album)|Love Lifted Me]]''. The album charted and two singles, "Love Lifted Me" and "While the Feeling's Good", were minor hits.<ref name="DeYoung" /> The song "Runaway Girl" was featured in the film ''[[Trackdown (film)|Trackdown]]'' (1976).<ref>{{cite web |title=Trackdown (1976) |url=http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/55958 |website=AFI |access-date=March 21, 2020}}</ref> Later in 1976, Rogers issued his second album, the self-titled ''Kenny Rogers'', whose first single, "[[Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)]]", was another solo hit.<ref name="LauraCharts">{{cite web |title=Chart history – Kenny Rogers |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kenny-rogers/chart-history/csi/ |website=Billboard.com |access-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref>

The single "[[Lucille (Kenny Rogers song)|Lucille]]" (1977) was a major hit, reaching number one on the pop charts in 12 countries, selling over five million copies, and firmly establishing Rogers's post-First Edition career.<ref name=RugbyIndependent2007>{{cite news |title=Rugby World Cup: A new national anthem? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rugby-world-cup-a-new-national-anthem-397038.html |access-date=March 21, 2020 |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=October 17, 2007 }}</ref> On the strength of "Lucille", the album ''Kenny Rogers'' reached No.&nbsp;1 on the [[Billboard charts#Top Country Albums|''Billboard'' Country Album Chart]].<ref name="KRogersCharthistory">{{cite web |title=Chart History Kenny Rogers |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kenny-rogers/chart-history/csi/ |website=Billboard.com |access-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref> More success was to follow, including the multi-platinum selling album ''[[The Gambler (album)|The Gambler]]'' and another international Number 1 single, "[[Coward of the County]]", taken from the equally successful album, ''Kenny''.<ref name=RugbyIndependent2007 /> In 1980, the Rogers/Butler partnership came to an end, though they would occasionally reunite: in 1987 on the album ''I Prefer the Moonlight'' and again in 1993 on the album ''If Only My Heart Had a Voice''.<ref name="DeYoung" />

In the late 1970s, Rogers teamed up with close friend and Country Music legend [[Dottie West]] for a series of albums and duets. Together the duo won two gold records (one of which later went platinum), two CMA Awards, an ACM nomination, two Grammy nominations and 1 Music City News Award for their two hit albums ''Every Time Two Fools Collide'' (No.&nbsp;1) and ''Classics'' (No.&nbsp;3), selling out stadiums and arenas while on tour for several years, as well as appearing on several network television specials which showcased them. Their hits together "[[Every Time Two Fools Collide (song)|Every Time Two Fools Collide]]" (No.&nbsp;1), "Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight" (No.&nbsp;2), "[[What Are We Doin' in Love]]" (No.&nbsp;1), "All I Ever Need Is You" (No.&nbsp;1) and "Till I Can Make It On My Own" (No.&nbsp;3) all became Country standards. Of West, Rogers stated in a 1995 TNN interview: "She, more than anybody else I ever worked with, sang with such emotion that you actually believed what she sang. A lot of people sing words, Dottie West sang emotions." In a 1978 press release for their album "Every Time Two Fools Collide", Rogers credited West with further establishing and cementing his career with Country Music audiences. In the same release, West credited him with taking her career to new audiences. Rogers was with West only hours before she died at age 58 after sustaining injuries in a 1991 car accident, as discussed in his 2012 biography "Luck Or Something Like It". In 1995 he starred as himself, alongside [[Michele Lee]] as West, in the [[CBS]] biographical film ''[[Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story]]''.

In 1980, a selection he recorded as a duet with [[Kim Carnes]], "[[Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer]]", became a hit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/2017-01-26/kenny-rogers-final-tour-retiring-includes-concert-thrasher-horne-saturday |title=Kenny Rogers's final tour before retiring includes concert at Thrasher-Horne on Saturday |author=Crumpler, David |date=January 26, 2017 |access-date=April 7, 2017 |work=[[The Florida Times-Union]]}}</ref> Earlier that year, he sang a duet of "You and Me" with [[Lynda Carter]] in her television music special ''Lynda Carter Special'' (Rogers originally recorded this with Dottie West for the [[Every Time Two Fools Collide]] album).  Later in 1980 came his partnership with [[Lionel Richie]], who wrote and produced Rogers's No.&nbsp;1 hit "[[Lady (Kenny Rogers song)|Lady]]".<ref name=cmt1304 /> Richie went on to produce Rogers's 1981 album ''Share Your Love,'' a chart topper and commercial favorite featuring hits such as "[[I Don't Need You]]" (Pop No.&nbsp;3), "[[Through the Years (Kenny Rogers song)|Through the Years]]" (Pop No.&nbsp;13), and "[[Share Your Love with Me]]" (Pop No.&nbsp;14). His first Christmas album was also released that same year. Rogers would return the favor by singing backing vocals on Richie's top 5 hit "[[My Love (Lionel Richie song)|My Love]]". In 1982, Rogers released the album ''[[Love Will Turn You Around]].'' The album's [[Love Will Turn You Around (song)|the title track]] reached No.&nbsp;13 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and topped the country and AC charts. It was the theme song of Rogers's 1982 film ''[[Six Pack (film)|Six Pack]]''. Shortly afterwards, he started working with producer [[David Foster]] in 1983, recording the smash Top 10 hit [[Bob Seger]] cover "[[We've Got Tonight]]", a duet with [[Sheena Easton]]. Also a number 1 single on the Country charts in the United States, it reached the Top 30 on the British charts.<ref name="DeYoung" />

In 1981, Rogers bought the old ABC Dunhill building and built one of the most popular and state-of-the-art recording studios in Los Angeles, which he named [[Lion Share Studios]]. The song "[[We Are the World]]" was recorded there and at [[A&M Studios]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FyUEAAAAMBAJ&q=kenny+rogers+lion+share+recording+studio&pg=PA52|title=Rogers Buys Studio|last=McCullaugh|page=52|first=Jim|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=February 6, 1982|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Rogers went on to work with [[Barry Gibb]] of the [[Bee Gees]] who produced his 1983 hit album ''[[Eyes That See in the Dark]]'', featuring the title track and yet another No.&nbsp;1 hit "[[Islands in the Stream (song)|Islands in the Stream]]", a duet with [[Dolly Parton]]. Gibb, along with his brothers, Robin and Maurice, originally wrote the song for [[Diana Ross]] in an R&B style, only later to change it for Rogers's album.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Newman |first=Melinda |title=Barry Gibb on Reuniting with Dolly Parton & Who He 'Freaked Out' Over While Recording New Country Duets Album |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/country/barry-gibb-interview-duets-album-dolly-parton-9507251/ |magazine=Billboard |date=5 January 2021}}</ref>

"Islands in the Stream", Rogers's duet with Dolly Parton, was the first single to be released from ''Eyes That See in the Dark'' in the United States, and it quickly went to No.&nbsp;1 in the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] (it would prove to be the last country single to reach No.&nbsp;1 on that chart until "[[Amazed]]" by [[Lonestar]] did so in 2000), as well as topping ''Billboard''{{'}}s country and adult contemporary singles charts;  it was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipping two million copies in the United States. Rogers would reunite with Parton in 1984 for a holiday album, [[Once Upon a Christmas (Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton album)|''Once Upon a Christmas'']], and the TV special ''Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember'' (which resulted in a popular video of "Christmas Without You"), as well as a 1985 duet "[[Real Love (Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers song)|Real Love]]", which also topped the U.S. country singles chart. The two would continue to collaborate on occasional projects through subsequent years, including a 2013 duet single "[[You Can't Make Old Friends]]".<ref name="DeYoung" />

Despite the success of "Islands in the Stream", however, [[RCA Records]] insisted on releasing ''Eyes''{{'}} title track as the first UK single, and the song stalled at a disappointing No.&nbsp;61 there, although it did stay in the top 100 for several weeks. (When it was eventually released in the United States, it was more successful, charting high on the Adult Contemporary chart and making the country top 30.) "Islands in the Stream" was issued as a follow-up single in Britain and sold well, making No.&nbsp;7. The album itself reached No.&nbsp;1 on the country charts on both sides of the Atlantic and enjoyed multi-million sales. "Buried Treasure", "This Woman" and "Evening Star"/"Midsummer Nights" were also all successful singles from the album.

Shortly after came the album ''[[What About Me? (Kenny Rogers album)|What About Me?]]'', a hit whose [[What About Me? (Kenny Rogers song)|title track]]—a trio performance with [[James Ingram]] and [[Kim Carnes]]—was nominated for a [[Grammy Award]]; the single "[[Crazy (Kenny Rogers song)|Crazy]]" (not to be confused with the [[Willie Nelson]]-penned [[Patsy Cline]] hit), co-written with [[Richard Marx]], topped the country charts. David Foster was to work again with Rogers in his 1985 album ''The Heart of the Matter,'' although this time Foster was playing backing music rather than producing, a role given to [[George Martin]]. This album was another success, going to No.&nbsp;1, with the title track making to the top ten category in the singles charts.

The next few years saw Rogers scoring several top country hits on a regular basis, including "Twenty Years Ago", "Morning Desire", "Tomb of the Unknown Love", among others.  On January 28, 1985, Rogers was one of the 45 artists who recorded the worldwide charity song "[[We Are the World]]" to support hunger victims in Africa. The following year he played at Giants Stadium.<ref name="Front Row King">{{cite web|title=Kenny Rogers Concert Tickets |website=Frontrowking.com|url=http://www.frontrowking.com/buy-kenny-rogers-concert-tickets/index.html|access-date=February 13, 2014}}</ref>

In 1988, Rogers won a Grammy Award for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals" with [[Ronnie Milsap]]—"Make No Mistake, She's Mine". In the 1990s, Rogers continued to chart with singles such as "The Factory" and "Crazy In Love", another selection that Kim Carnes provided him with, "If You Want To Find Love", and "The Greatest". His second Christmas album, titled ''Christmas in America,'' was released in 1989 for Reprise Records. From 1991 to 1994, Rogers hosted ''[[The Real West]]'' on [[A&E Network|A&E]], and on [[History (U.S. TV channel)|The History Channel]] since 1995 (Reruns only on The History Channel). He visited Miller's during this time period. From 1992 to 1995, Rogers co-owned and headlined [[Branson, Missouri]]'s 4,000 seat Grand Palace Theatre. In 1994, Rogers released his "dream" album titled ''Timepiece'' on Atlantic Records. It consisted of 1930s/1940s jazz standards, the type of music he had performed in his early days with the Bobby Doyle Three in [[Houston]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theoaklandpress.com/arts-and-entertainment/20161201/kenny-rogers-plans-to-fold-em-after-final-concert-tour |title=Kenny Rogers plans to fold 'em after final concert tour |author=Graff, Gary |date=December 1, 2016 |access-date=April 7, 2017 |work=[[Oakland Press]]}}</ref>

In 1996, Rogers released an album ''Vote For Love'' where the public requested their favorite love songs and Rogers performed the songs. (Several of his own hits were in the final version.) The album was the first for the TV shopping channel QVC's record label, onQ Music. The album, sold exclusively by [[QVC]], was a huge success and was later issued in stores under a variety of different titles. It reached No.&nbsp;1 in the UK country charts under the title ''Love Songs'' (a title also used for various compilations) and also crossed over into the mainstream charts.

In 1999, Rogers scored with the single "The Greatest", a song about life from a child's point of view (looked at through a baseball game)<ref name=RugbyIndependent2007 /> The song reached the top 40 of ''Billboard's'' Country singles chart and was a [[Country Music Television]] Number One video. It was on Rogers's album ''She Rides Wild Horses'' the following year (itself a top 10 success).<ref name="DeYoung" /> Also in 1999, Rogers produced a song, "We've Got It All", specifically for the series finale of the ABC show ''[[Home Improvement (TV series)|Home Improvement]].''