''Kenny Rogers'' is the second studio

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

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 ...

from

United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, ...

, released worldwide in 1977. The album marked his first major solo success following the minor success of '' Love Lifted Me'' in 1976. The album produced two singles. The first single, 1976's "Laura (What He's Got That I Ain't Got?)", peaked at #19. This song was originally a #1 country hit for

Leon Ashley Leon Walton (May 18, 1936 – October 20, 2013), better known by his stage name Leon Ashley, was an American country music singer. He is known mainly for his single "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)", which topped the country singles charts ...

in 1967. In 1977, Kenny gained stardom with the single "Lucille", which climbed to the top of the country charts (both in the U.S. and Canada) and placing him squarely on the U.S. Hot 100 in the #5 position. It also blew open his solo career in the UK, reaching #1 there. Another track from the album is "I Wasn't Man Enough" which makes appearances on some of Rogers' greatest hits compilations in years to come. This was the first of twelve No. 1 albums for Rogers on the Country chart. It ranked as high as #30 overall and was certified Platinum in the U.S. (also reaching Gold in Canada).

Track listing

Personnel

* Kenny Rogers – lead vocals * Bobby Wood, Charles "Chuck" Cochran, George Richey,

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 Butler – keyboards *

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 ...

–

Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer is a modular synthesizer developed by the American engineer Robert Moog. Moog debuted it in 1964, and Moog's company R. A. Moog Co. (later known as Moog Music) produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 20 ...

* Billy Sanford, Dale Sellers, David Kirby,

Fred Carter Jr. Fred F. Carter Jr. (December 31, 1933 – July 17, 2010) was an American guitarist, singer, producer and composer. Early career Carter was raised in the delta country in Winnsboro, the seat of Franklin Parish in northeastern Louisiana, Un ...

, 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 ...

, Pete Wade,

Ray Edenton Ray Quarles Edenton (November 3, 1926 – September 21, 2022) was an American guitar player and country music session musician. Early life Ray Edenton was born into a musical family on November 3, 1926, and grew up near Mineral, Virginia. His f ...

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 ...

, Steve Gibson – guitars *

Pete Drake Roddis Franklin "Pete" Drake (October 8, 1932 – July 29, 1988), was a Nashville-based American record producer and pedal steel guitar player. One of the most sought-after backup musicians of the 1960s, Drake played on such hits as Lynn Anderson' ...

– steel guitar *

Joe Osborn Joseph Osborn (August 28, 1937 – December 14, 2018Tommy 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, ...

– six-string bass guitar *

Bob 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 *

Buddy Harman Murrey Mizell "Buddy" Harman, Jr. (December 23, 1928 – August 21, 2008) was an American country music session musician. Career Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Harman played drums on over 18,000 sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Jerry ...

Jerry Carrigan Jerry Kirby Carrigan (September 13, 1943 – June 22, 2019) was an American drummer and record producer. Early in his career he was a member of the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and later worked as a session musician in Nashville for over ...

Kenny Malone Kenny Malone (August 4, 1938 – August 26, 2021) was an American drummer and percussionist. Life and career Malone was born in Denver, Colorado. From the 1970s onwards, he was a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic ...

– drums, percussion * Tommy Williams – violin * Brenton Banks, Byron Bach, Carl Gorodetzky, Gary Vanosdale, George Binkley, Lennie Haight, Marvin Chantry, Pam Sixfin, Roy Christensen,

Sheldon Kurland Sheldon "Shelly" Kurland (June 9, 1928 – January 6, 2010) was a violinist and musical arranger who worked as a session musician in Nashville and provided arrangements for a number of prominent country musicians. Life and career Sheldon Kurland ...

, Stephanie Woolf, Steven Smith – 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 ...

– string arrangements * Bergen White,

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, Johnny MacRae,

The Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vocal ...

, Larry Keith, Steve Pippin – backing vocals

Production

* Producer – Larry Butler * Engineers – Harold Lee and

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 ...

* Recorded at American Studios and Jack Clement Recording Studios (Nashville, TN). * Mastered by Bob Sowell at Master Control (Nashville, TN). * Art Direction – Ria Lewerke * Photography – David Brandenberg * Typography – Michael Manoogian

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 1977 albums Kenny Rogers albums United Artists Records albums Albums arranged by Bill Justis Albums produced by Larry Butler (producer)