Broken hearts,
tender moments
Kenny Rogers brings
By Tim Ryan
incomparable style to his songs
of life's let-downs
Star-BulletinOh, that voice. A deep, gravel vibrato; tender with a touch of despair.
Kenny Rogers has made a fortune singing about life's greatest disappointments: having your heart broken time and again; being a disabled vet begging your woman not to take her "love to town;" knowing that a true love -- "Lady" -- is something you don't deserve.
"When you take a look at some of my most successful songs -- 'Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town' -- they're really very morbid, but strangely have a happy, uplifting feel," said Rogers, who inaugurates the Honolulu Symphony's 1999-2000 Pops season tomorrow and Saturday at the Blaisdell Concert Hall.
"I've never thought I was a particularly good singer, but I always felt I could pick hit songs as good as anybody; and I can tell a story."
Choosing "wonderful" songs has given Rogers phenomenal success. For a quarter century he dominated American music, recording more than 56 albums, selling more than 100 million records worldwide, and winning four Grammys, 11 People's Choice Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards, 11 platinum albums, six multi-platinum albums, and one platinum single.
Honolulu Symphony Pops Season Opener: KENNY ROGERS
Program: "The Greatest Hits," with guest Melveen Leed; Matt Catingub conducting
Rogers, born in Houston, Texas, was a member of the First Edition -- remember the pop-psychedelic single "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"? -- in 1968 followed by "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" and "Ruben James."
His first solo outing in 1976 was the moderately popular "Love Lifted Me," followed by his breakthrough hit "Lucille," written by Don Schlitz, who also wrote "The Greatest" which has propelled Rogers back to the top of the charts.
"The Greatest" appears on Rogers' new album "She Rides Wild Horses," currently No. 12 on Billboard's Top Country Albums. The song tells the story of a young boy's love for baseball and a brief moment on his own practice field of dreams. Rogers says his rebirth is part of the music cycle.
"I don't care what song I've released in the last decade, when radio calls itself new, young country, it's hard for me to figure which one of those areas to try for," Rogers said. "You can't expect the world to work on your schedule, to always go in your direction.
"And when you identify what you are ... you also articulate pretty much what you're not."
The music business is always in a cycle and young fans are always fickle.
"Someone who buys a record at 12 will not buy the same kind of record at 15 or at 18," he said. "Sooner or later any concept gets old."
Still, Rogers had to find a song that could make a statement.
"What I found was a song that superceded current music and superceded me and the stigma that goes with being around for more than 20 years," he said. " 'The Greatest' touches a lot of people. All I was did was keep playing the game, taking my turn at bat; sooner or later I knew I would stumble on the song.
"I don't have the chops of a Kenny Loggins, but I tell a story as well as most people."
And "The Greatest" also has a hint of familiarity, another key for a hit, Rogers said.
"You find a song that people feel they can sing the second time they hear it."
As for those songs of loss and desperation Rogers sings, he says they in no way reflect his storied life.
"Sorry to disappoint you but I've never been through any of these specific things," he said. "The songs have been written so well that what comes through is I can understand the pain and project that to the audience."
Rogers admits to "hating" the frequent stress of cross-country travel, but any feelings of discomfort from being on the road disappear when he walks out on stage.
"At that precise moment there's no place in this world I would rather be," he said. "I promise you that when I walk out on that stage, whatever I've got you can have. It may not be much, but it's yours."
Then Rogers voice deepens, sounding like pebbles being dragged over sandpaper.
"It's not my desire to have the audience walk out of a show saying I'm the best singer they've ever heard. I just want them to say they've had a really great time."
All concerts in the 1999-2000 season will be at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Tickets: $15-$50 or $98-$294 for the season. Call 792-2000 or 538-8863. HONOLULU POPS SEASON
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