Mar 23 2020 10:50 AM
Re: When to Fold 'Em: Kenny Rogers, 1938-2020 (Split from Guess Who Died?)
The story of late-sixties/early-seventies Kenny is odd in a dozen ways.
The First Edition were founded as a sort of reconciliation act, in that they were meant to have a hippy aesthetic but a more patriotic, mainstream worldview. It was a hip, 30%-more-rocking version of Rogers' prior act, The New Christy Minstrels, who did an anti-college protestor song as early as 1965. But neither were they reactionary apologists. They had a variety show shot in Canada that featured a lot more edgy and rocking acts than the standard Bob Mackey cheese that was fast becoming the standard in the U.S.
But while their signature song "I Just Dropped in to See What Condition My Condition Is In" was sort of easy listening acid rock, or a more accessible Cream, they weren't really rockers either. They were a country and folk act who would rock when called on, but they were also an ensemble, passing the vocals around, and Kenny getting his name above the band's was clearly his Don Henley-like alpha-male power-play, especially since they not only shared the vocals, other band members were far more prolific songwriters. (Martin Michael Murphy was a member, and Karen Carpenter sang with them briefly in their formative period, too.)
But then they made the record — a double LP old west concept album called
It was as unsuccessful as it was ambitious, and while the band didn't break up, they began disintegrating and would never be a big hit again, leading to Rogers next career as a Quick-Pickin' and Fun-Strummin' pitch-man and triumphant solo artist.