Raven's 2007 two-fer pairs two eponymously titled albums from Kenny Rogers -- the 1977 United Artists release Kenny Rogers and 1979's Kenny. Kenny Rogers was the second album Rogers released for United Artists, following 1976's Love Lifted Me by a year. Love Lifted Me was a modest success, setting the stage for the breakthrough of Kenny Rogers. That breakthrough was largely fueled by "Lucille," the second single pulled from the LP. The first, "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't I Got)," was a solid country hit, building upon ...
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Raven's 2007 two-fer pairs two eponymously titled albums from Kenny Rogers -- the 1977 United Artists release Kenny Rogers and 1979's Kenny. Kenny Rogers was the second album Rogers released for United Artists, following 1976's Love Lifted Me by a year. Love Lifted Me was a modest success, setting the stage for the breakthrough of Kenny Rogers. That breakthrough was largely fueled by "Lucille," the second single pulled from the LP. The first, "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't I Got)," was a solid country hit, building upon his initial 1976 success, but "Lucille" opened all the doors for Kenny, turning into a pop crossover hit not only in the U.S. but in other countries as well, making him an international star. "Lucille" had a loping country beat but a pop sheen and was indicative of the rest of the album, which bounced between these two sides instead of balancing them the way the hit single did. For every pure country tune, such as Dallas Frazier's "The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp" (made into a hit by Tom T. Hall) or even Don Williams' decidedly mellow "Lay Down Beside Me," there were tunes that took a bit of a broader, almost stereotypical view of country such as the 2-step "While I Play the Fiddle" and "Mother Country Music," a soft pop tune in every way but its title and sentiment. Even on this early LP, Kenny didn't avoid the middle of the road, turning in a loungey version of the standard crooner number "Green Green Grass of Home," but the best moments on Kenny Rogers was when he balanced his soft touch with songs that had a country backbone, as on those aforementioned hits, and tunes by Frazier and Williams, but also "Puttin' in Overtime at Home" whose easy rolling, slick country-rock pointed the way toward the future of country-pop not just for Kenny, but for country music at large. Kenny arrived two years after Kenny Rogers and those were eventful years for Rogers. During that time, he became a major star, largely due to his version of "The Gambler," a song by Don Schlitz that Kenny turned into his own on his 1978 album of the same name (although it has to be said that Rogers' version bears a startling similarity to Bobby Bare's version released that very year). Kenny was the follow-up to The Gambler and it's clear from how the album glistens and shimmers that Kenny was intended to be a consolidation of his crossover success. Actually, it could even be seen as the album where Rogers leaps from his self-created pigeonhole as a country singer -- a distinction that always seemed a bit like a commercial necessity by Kenny, as it was the easiest market for him to conquer in the mid-'70s -- and became a middle of the road pop star, a move aided considerably by this album's lovely smash hit "You Decorated My Life." Apart from the "Gambler"-esque "Coward of the County," there aren't many flat-out country tunes here, and even that tune is a bit cartoonishly country in both its story and arrangement. The rest of the album is heavy on grandiose ballads like "I Want to Make You Smile," and splashy showpieces like "Tulsa Turnaround," which blasts and blares like a Vegas showstopper. That's not the only tune that feels a bit campy: "Santiago Midnight Moonlight" is a breezy beach tune that cribs from Jimmy Buffett and "In and Out of Your Heart" pulsates with a TV-show disco beat, while "Old Folks" -- whose electric piano recalls Billy Joel -- lays on the schmaltz pretty heavily. Of course, the appeal of Kenny is that it is a schmaltzy, shameless album, perhaps the most schmaltzy and shameless of Rogers' career, but what's endearing about it is that he had yet to sink into the formless adult contemporary that turned his albums after Eyes That See in the Dark into snooze-fests, yet he had sharpened and broadened his tastes from his too-soft and sleepy early country albums, making Kenny the almost perfect mid-point between his first pop hits and his complacent latter-day ones. Raven's two-fer adds the 1979 hit "She...
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Very good. UA-LA689-G Vinyl, sleeve and cover are all in great condition. A few, light scuffs on vinyl from use, do not appear to affect playback. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Orders received before 3PM PT typically ship same day. All profits support the non-profit community.
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Fair. All our items come in the original case with artwork, though manuals and slipcovers are not always guaranteed to be included as these items are donated goods and will show some wear and tear from normal use. Jewel cases will be included but may be damaged and/or cracked. We typically resurface discs that are visibly scratched prior to shipping, but we do not test disc(s). Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Thank you for shopping with Goodwill Colorado! Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Safe and Secure Bubble Mailer! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
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Good. Providing great vinyl and media since 1972. All used records are inspected and guaranteed. May have wear and minor issues from previous owner. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
