Award-winning singer/songwriter Kenny Rogers enjoyed enormous success on both the country and pop charts with hits like "Lucille," "The Gambler" and "Islands in the Stream." Who Was Kenny Rogers? After working with bands and as a solo artist, Kenny Rogers released The Gambler in 1978. The title track became a huge country and pop hit and gave Rogers his second Grammy Award. Rogers also recorded a series of hits with country legend Dottie West and scored a big No. 1 tune, "Islands in the Stream," with Dolly Parton. Rogers also published several books, including a 2012 autobiography. Early Life and Career Singer and songwriter Kenneth Donald Rogers was born on August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas. While his name was "Kenneth Donald" on his birth certificate, his family always called him "Kenneth Ray." Rogers grew up poor, living with his parents and six siblings in a federal housing project. By high school, he knew that he wanted to pursue a music career. He bought himself a guitar and started a group called the Scholars. The band had a rockabilly sound and scored a few local hits. Breaking out on his own, Rogers recorded the 1958 hit single "That Crazy Feeling" for the Carlton label. He even got to perform the song on Dick Clark's popular music program American Bandstand. Changing genres, Rogers then played bass with the Bobby Doyle Trio, a jazz group.
