Kenny Rogers

A very prominent Country Music singer known for his string of crossover pop ballads. Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) got his start in the 1960s folk group The New Christy Minstrels. By 1967, he was part of the rock group The First Edition, which had a major pop hits with "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town". Rogers broke off in 1975 to start his own career, launching it with a cover of the gospel standard "Love Lifted Me". It wasn't until two years later that he broke through, sending a string of singles to the top of the charts and achieving consistent pop and adult contemporary airplay for each. Among his hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s were "Lucille", "The Gambler", "She Believes in Me", "Coward of the County", "Lady" and "Islands in the Stream", a duet with Dolly Parton. The last two have the distinction of being among the only songs to top the country, pop and AC charts.

Rogers' success declined in the 1980s after "Islands in the Stream", although he managed a semi regular chart presence until 1991. After an eight-year stretch in which he recorded albums but did not issue singles, he launched the single "The Greatest" in 1999 on his own label, Dreamcatcher Records. Although it had only modest success, the album's second single, "Buy Me a Rose", returned him to the top of the charts in 2000. None of his other singles matched the success of that song, however, although 2006's Water & Bridges on Capitol Records gave him a little bit more commercial success.

Rogers was also known for being prolific in the duet field, having cut several duets with Parton, as well as Dottie West, Kim Carnes and James Ingram. He was also one of the highest-selling male country artists.

Kenny Rogers provides examples of the following tropes:

Badass Beard: Always part of his look.
Breakup Breakout: How he got his start as a solo singer.
The Gambling Addict and Professional Gambler: Both present in "The Gambler".
Heavy Meta: "Sweet Music Man".
Know When to Fold'Em: "The Gambler" is the Trope Namer.
Murder Ballad: "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town".
Narrator All Along:"Buy Me A Rose"
The So Called Coward Of the County (The song provides a quote for that trope's page.)
Space Western: "Planet Texas".