''Kenny'' is the eighth studio album by

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...

, released in 1979. It includes the singles "

Coward of the County "Coward of the County" is a song written by Roger Bowling and Billy Edd Wheeler, and recorded by American country music singer Kenny Rogers. The song was released in November 1979 as the second single from Rogers' multi-platinum album ''Kenny''. ...

" and "

You Decorated My Life "You Decorated My Life" is a song written by Debbie Hupp and Bob Morrison, and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. It was released in September 1979 as the lead single from his album ''Kenny''. It was a number-one hit on the ...

." "Tulsa Turnaround" is a reworking of an earlier song Rogers recorded with The First Edition. " Goodbye Marie" was first recorded by

Johnny Rodriguez Juan Raoul Davis "Johnny" Rodriguez (born December 10, 1951) is an American country music singer. He is a Tejano and Texas country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish. In the 1970s an ...

on his March 1979 album, ''Rodriguez Was Here'', and then later recorded by

Bobby Goldsboro Robert Charles Goldsboro (born January 18, 1941) is an American pop and country singer and songwriter. He had a string of pop and country hits in the 1960s and 1970s, including his signature No. 1 hit "Honey", which sold over 1 million copies in ...

, charting as a single for him in 1981. The album reached the top five of the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' album chart and #1 in the Country charts (where it stayed for a record total of 25 weeks). In the UK, it was a top ten album as well. In 2007, the album was issued as a two album set on one CD, the other album included on the disc being the self-titled ''

'' from 1976. In the sleeve notes for the 2009 reissue on the Edsel record label, biographer Chris Bolton notes that this album "does its best to represent every musical personality of Kenny Rogers." Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that the album mixes music styles from Country to Disco. This was the fourth of twelve #1's for Rogers on the

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

albums chart, as well as his first Top 10 'Pop' album entry.

Track listing

Personnel

* Kenny Rogers – lead vocals * Bobby Wood, Chuck Cochran, David Briggs, Edgar Struble, Gene Golden,

Hargus "Pig" Robbins Hargus Melvin Robbins (January 18, 1938 – January 30, 2022), known by his nickname "Pig," was an American session keyboard player. Having played on records for many artists, including John Stewart, Dolly Parton, Connie Smith, Patti Page, Lore ...

, Larry Keith,

Shane Keister Shane Keister is an American musician. He is known for his work as a studio musician, writer, arranger and producer. He plays synthesizer, piano, Hammond B3, Synclavier, Fairlight CMI, Fender Rhodes, and others. History Keister was born in Hunti ...

– piano * Edgar Struble –

clavinet The Clavinet is an electrically amplified clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds by a rubber pad striking a point on a tension ...

, synthesizers * Billy Sanford, Dave Kirby, Jerry Shook, Jimmy Capps,

Johnny Christopher John (“Johnny”) Lee Christopher Jr. (born 1943 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American singer, guitarist, session musician and songwriter. Music career Christopher's singles included "(She's A) Girl Of Many Colors / The Teacher And The Pet" (19 ...

, Larry Keith, Randy Dorman, Ray Edenton,

Reggie Young Reggie Grimes Young Jr. (December 12, 1936 – January 17, 2019) was an American musician who was lead guitarist in the American Sound Studio house band, The Memphis Boys, and was a leading session musician. He played on various recordings with ...

Tommy Allsup Thomas Douglas Allsup (November 24, 1931 – January 11, 2017) was an American rockabilly and swing musician. Personal life Allsup was born near Owasso, Oklahoma in 1931, and was an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation. Allsup had a son, ...

, Rick Harper, Steve Glassmeyer – guitars * Bobby Thompson – banjo * Charles "Chuck" Jacob,

Joe Osborn Joseph Osborn (August 28, 1937 – December 14, 2018Bob Moore Bob Loyce Moore (November 30, 1932 – September 22, 2021) was an American session musician, orchestra leader, and double bassist who was a member of the Nashville A-Team during the 1950s and 1960s. He performed on over 17,000 documented record ...

– upright bass * Bobby Daniels – drums * Farrell Morris – percussion * Steve Glassmeyer – saxophone * Sheldon Kurland Strings – strings *

Bill Justis William Everett Justis Jr. (October 14, 1926 – July 16, 1982) was an American pioneer rock and roll musician, composer, and arrangement, musical arranger, best known for his 1957 Grammy Hall of Fame song, "Raunchy (instrumental), Raunchy". As a ...

, Edgar Struble (track 10) – string arrangements * Bergen White, Bobby Daniels,

Buzz Cason James E. "Buzz" Cason (born November 27, 1939 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States) is an American rock singer, songwriter, record producer, and author. He was a founding member of The Casuals, Nashville's first rock and roll band. Together w ...

, Don Gant, Donna McElroy, Edgar Struble, Lea Jane Berinati, Steve Glassmeyer, Todd Cerney, Tom Brannon, Yvonne Hodges – backing vocals

Production

* Producer, Mixing – Larry Butler * Engineers –

Billy Sherrill Billy Norris Sherrill (November 5, 1936 – August 4, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter, and arranger best known for his association with country artists, notably Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Sherrill and business partner Gle ...

(Tracks 1, 2, 4–8, 10 & 11); Harold Lee (Tracks 3 & 9). * Recorded at American Studios and Jack Clements Recording Studios (Nashville, TN). * Mastered by Bob Sowell at Master Control (Nashville, TN). * Artwork – Bill Burks * Photography –

Reid Miles Reid Miles (July 4, 1927 – February 2, 1993) was an American graphic designer and photographer best known for his work for Blue Note Records in the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Reid Miles was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 4, 1927 but, fo ...

Chart performance

Certifications

References

{{Authority control Kenny Rogers albums 1979 albums Albums arranged by Bill Justis Albums produced by Larry Butler (producer) United Artists Records albums