For the first time, Kenny Rogers reveals his
incredible rise to fame, detailing his personal highs and lows with his
memoir Luck or Something Like It, published by William Morrow on Oct. 2. (Hardcover; $27.99).
Speaking candidly, Kenny reflects upon his rough childhood in the
South—living in the projects of Houston and growing up in poverty—and
how his father’s alcoholism greatly impacted his career by helping him
avoid the common pitfalls of substance abuse that often plague fame.
Forever indebted to his mother for her thought-provoking wisdom and
pitch perfect advice, Kenny entered the music business with a reputation
for hard work and a positive attitude. These homegrown traits coupled
with his strong faith enabled Kenny to persevere through the difficult
periods of his career—the breakup of his first professional musical
group, The First Edition, and the struggles he faced when trying to go
solo.
Throughout Kenny’s career he has reinvented himself time and time
again, managing to stay successful and current while also being true to
his values as a performer. Along the way he has experimented across
many musical genres with some of music’s greatest talents, and here he
discusses his journey in depth and reveals the secret to his success:
his ability to remain open-minded and his willingness not to let his
past dictate his future.
Featuring a cast of characters ranging from Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Dottie West and Lionel Richie, Rogers’ story offers a
candid and eye-opening look at the world of country music, showing how
mainstream success led to crossover artistic partnerships that pushed
his musical boundaries, but forced him to go against the trends of the
Nashville establishment as he combined country music with other sounds
from pop music.
Kenny and Dolly: As one-half of one of popular music’s greatest duos, Kenny writes warmly about his longtime working relationship with Dolly Parton, telling never-before-heard stories about their first meeting and what they’ve meant to each other all these years.
Kenny and Lionel: Discussing how his open-mindedness always led him to experiment musically and avoid developing a stale, complacent style, he explains the steps that led him to approach Lionel Richie in the early 80s about recording a song together. The result of that song—and his willingness to experiment beyond the strict boundaries of country music—was the massively successful “Lady” and a partnership that would last for decades.
Inside "The Gambler": Kenny goes backstage on the making of a cultural phenomenon—the song and TV movie franchise that would become one of his greatest legacies: “The Gambler.”
Kenny and His Personal Life: Writing honestly about his marriages and his struggle to stay married through the years, Kenny explores how his drive for success and his constant life on the road ultimately made marriage difficult for him despite his family values and instinct to settle down. Finally, he feels that he has achieved the elusive work-family balance with his current (fifth) marriage—a heartwarming story of finding love later on in life.
National Book Tour for Kenny Rogers and Luck or Something Like It
October 2 RIDGEFIELD, NJ Bookends
October 3 NEW YORK, NY Barnes & Noble (54th & 3rd)
October 6 LEXINGTON, KY Joseph-Beth Booksellers
October 7 ATLANTA, GA Barnes & Noble (Alpharetta)
October 8 BIRMINGHAM, AL Books-A-Million (Brookhighland)
October 12 HOUSTON, TX Barnes & Noble (River Oaks)
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