One more round for Kenny
A most important time has come. The Gambler is ready now to collect all his chips, leave the table and finally hang up his saddle. But before he does those and begins this period of relaxing introspection, you can bet that he will be contemplating all those winnings fate has dealt him, he is going to take one more ride to make that last deal, that will crown his long, successful and multi-storied career. This is great news and how nice to know that we will be part of this adventure.
The Gambler here is the legendary music star Kenny Rogers. Remember, one of his biggest hits was the song titled The Gambler. This last deal is the performing tour that is now taking him around the US, Canada Asia and Europe and which will run for one whole year. He will perform on Aug. 11 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City. Titled here as Kenny Rogers Final
World Tour in Manila, it is indeed his final, last, ultimate time ever on stage. He came up with this statement before he made his first stop in Mah-romen, Minnesota last May 13.
“I’m excited about making one more sweep around the world,” said Rogers. “For more than five decades, I’ve been fortunate enough to have such a wonderful, loyal audience and their support has meant so much to me. This final tour is going to be a celebration of all of my music and I know each night will be truly special.”
According to his website, the concert will include a reflective look back through Rogers’ storied 54-year career enhanced with personal stories, vintage photos and video clips with never-beforeseen footage. The retrospective will touch on every part of Rogers’ career along with his long list of hits. He plans to sing songs he hasn’t performed in years. I am sure that a lot of Kenny’s fans out here are already looking forward to the show and hoping that among them will be their favorites.
Think You Decorated My Life. What about Lady, which Lionel Richie composed for him? (Sigh) That divine She Believes In Me or that promise of love forever Through The Years. (More sighs) There is also What
About Me, a lovely trio with James Ingram and Kim Carnes, who also goes pop with Rogers in the duet Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer.
Kenny is one of the most expressive interpreters ever to grace popular music. He makes everybody listen. And I do not mean just the romantic love songs. He is also great with those narrative ballads that he never fails to make interesting like The Gambler, Lucille, Coward Of The Country and oth- ers I enjoy listening to very much.
Rogers is usually categorized as a Country music artist. But this is only because his first big sellers were with the country/ rock group First Edition like Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town and Reuben James. The fact is he does soul, jazz, rock, pop, standards, etc. very well. His take on Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable is to die for. And these titles are just for starters. Just take a look at this list of big sellers, most In of which charted
the singer will perform hits on No. 1. Aug. 11 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, I Don’t Need You, Quezon City. We’ve Got Tonight a duet with Sheena Easton, Crazy, Islands In The Stream with Dolly Parton which was produced by the Bee Gees, Every Time Two Fools Collide with Dottie West, Make No Mistake She’s Mine with Ronnie Milsap, Share Your Love With Me, All I Ever Need Is You, Buy Me A Rose with Alison Krauss, Daytime Friends, Someone Who Cares, Love Or Something Like It, Love Will Turn You Around, Morning Desire, I Can’t Unlove You, What Are We Doing In Love, also with Dottie and many others.
Kenny Rogers, the Gambler's Last Deal will surely be a wonderful evening of hit songs, memories and great music. And not to forget, romance, get ready for the hand-holding. It saddens me to think, he has decided to make it his last. Still we will always have his great sounds. It is the music that always remains.