Kenny Rogers' Significant Success

Kenny Rogers' Significant Success

By Crystal Caviness

Success doesn't interest Kenny Rogers. Significance is the veteran entertainer's goal.

"Success is how much you take in. Significance is how much you give back," Rogers said. "I don't want to be a star again. . I want to be significant."

Few careers reach the level of success that Rogers' has. The stats are staggering: 65 albums; worldwide sales in excess of 105 million; 22 No. 1 hits; accolades from music industry organizations, including five CMA Awards, three GRAMMYs and 18 American Music Awards. The Recording Industry Association of America ranks Rogers as the eighth best-selling male artist of all time, with 20 Platinum albums.

Laying aside the need to keep topping the charts and winning awards, Rogers now finds significance in simple gestures, such as letters from listeners who have been touched by his music.

"I just want to have a body of work that represents my interest and I want people to be moved by my music," Rogers said.

Water & Bridges is the most recent addition to Rogers' body of work, a collection of 11 new songs released earlier this year in March by the music maker's former label home, Capitol Records Nashville.

"We were fortunate and thrilled that (Capitol Records Nashville President and CEO) Mike Dungan literally called out of the clear blue sky," Rogers said. "He said 'You've been such an important part of our history, we'd love to have you as a part of our future.'"

Rogers' history with Capitol began in 1975 when he signed with United Artists, which became Liberty Records (and later Capitol). The singer's tenure with Capitol included a time in Rogers' career when he sold more than 1 million albums every month for 26 consecutive months, according to information from the label. During this hit-making time, every single Rogers released went to the top of the charts, including "Lady," "She Believes in Me," "Coward of the Country," "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" and "Through the Years."

Prior to returning to Capitol in 2006 to make Water & Bridges, Rogers had been recording for his own independent label, Dreamcatcher Entertainment, where he returned to the top of the charts in 1999 with "The Greatest," followed by the No. 1 single "Buy Me a Rose."

Rogers credits his longevity in the music business with his ability to work with cutting-edge producers, including Lionel Richie, who produced "Through the Years" and "Lady," and Barry Gibb, who produced "Islands in the Stream."

"What I did was I sang the way I always sang but I wrapped another sound around me," Rogers said.

Dungan employed the same concept when he paired Rogers with top Country Music producer Dann Huff (Faith Hill, Keith Urban).

The result, Rogers said, is an album of music that sounds "real organic."

"Dann puts a little edge on everything. He comes from such a rock 'n' roll place. What he does that's interesting is he uses band musicians, not studio musicians, because they play with more dynamics. You can hear that on the new album. It was such a great experience," Rogers said.

Huff also pressed Rogers into unfamiliar vocal territory.

"Dann took me out of my comfort zone when I was singing," Rogers said, adding that the producer encouraged the singer to change his phrasing.

"On a couple of the songs, the phrasing was turned around on the beat and not natural for Kenny to sing," Huff said, adding that Rogers broke the song down line by line in order to get it right.

"That's frustrating when you're used to doing things quickly because you've been doing this professionally for so long, like Kenny has," Huff said. "Kenny has a real pro work ethic. It forces you to let go of your natural instincts and the result is something more special."

While Huff pushed Rogers into some varied vocal styles, the producer's goal was to maintain Rogers' signature voice.

"I didn't want him sounding like anybody but himself. To me, the record was more about subject matter than anything," Huff said.

To that end, Huff brought a number of songs to the table that other artists had passed on because of controversial subject matter.

"I felt with Kenny, with his legendary status, that he had the platform to sing some of these songs," Huff said.

"Water & Bridges," a song about choices made in youth and their long term effects, in this case a young couple's decision about an abortion, was among the songs Rogers not only recorded, but decided should be the title track.

"'Water & Bridges' is the cornerstone. It sets the tone for the rest of the music," Rogers said.

Huff's goal, he stated, was to get down to the basics with Rogers.

"When I took on the project, my idea was to get Kenny Rogers in an old pair of jeans and a flannel shirt and let him go there, out of the Armani suits he's known for," Huff said. "Not on every song, but on some of them. On 'Someone Somewhere Tonight' and 'Water & Bridges' we had those moments. That was my wish. My dream came true on those two songs especially."

The album also features a couple of guest vocalists, Don Henley singing a duet on "Calling Me" and new Country artist Sara Buxton in a cameo performance on "Someone Somewhere Tonight."

Though Rogers possesses a signature voice, the musician believes his greatest strengths lie in his ability to pick great songs and in entertaining.

"I've always felt I could pick hit songs, and performing is where I get my validation. I love being on stage."

Though he loves touring, Rogers finds himself on stage less and less these days. European fans had the chance to see Rogers this summer when the entertainer performed during a six-day tour of England and also in Ireland as part of the International Country Music Festival.

Spending less time on the road is Rogers' choice. He's having more fun at home, where he is dad to 2-year-old twin sons, and older children through previous marriages. The babies, Rogers said, have changed his career.

"I used to pick up my hat and go whenever I could, but that's the one thing that's changed in my life," he said. "There are very few things that fill the void of music, but those two boys do. It's harder to be away from them."

On the Web: www.kennyrogers.com

August 16, 2006