Final Kentucky concert before the fold
Published 9:40 pm Wednesday, March 22, 2017
A country music sensation will soon visit a Kentucky venue on a tour for the last time.
“I’ve done this for 60 years now,” said country music singer Kenny Rogers.” “But I’m at a point where I don’t move around as well as I used to.”
Rogers began his four-year farewell tour “The Gamblers Last Deal,” a year ago in Africa.
“Each place has made this retirement feel special to me,” he said.
Rogers said the tour can be viewed as a linear look at much of his career in music, as he plays songs from when he first began performing, to some of his biggest hits such as The Gambler, Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town and Islands in the Stream.
“It’s been a great life for me,” Rogers said. “And that’s what’s going to be hard to give up is all the people, because they come and they made me feel important, and they treat me with such respect. And the age group ranges from very young to older people and they’ve all got their favorite songs.”
Rogers attributes his long career to the music and categories he chose, such as songs that tell stories and music that listeners can relate to.
His songs have reached out through various backgrounds and generations.
“I’ve accomplished much more than I’ve ever dreamed of,” Roger said.
Rogers has sold over 120 million albums worldwide during his career.
At the end of his tour, he said he looks forward to going home and spending time with his two 12-year-old-identical twin boys.
“Being with them makes me feel younger,” Rogers said.
He said he looks forward to taking his sons on a salmon run in Alaska.
Before his tour ends, Rogers will make one last visit to Kentucky at a venue just minutes down the road from Jessamine County.
Rogers said he enjoys playing in the smaller venues because the sound is usually better and it gives a stronger connection to the audience.
“I think you relate to the people better,” Rogers said.
He said in the big 20,000 seat venues the performer entertains the first eight or 10 rows and the rest of the place will enjoy it, but it’s not as much fun.
“I can play to a lot of different people in those smaller venues,” Rogers said.
Rogers will be at the Norton Center for the Arts in Danville at 7 p.m. on April 8.
