He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in He sold more than million records worldwide during his lifetime, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He remade his career and was one of the most successful cross-over artists of all time. In the late s, Rogers began his recording career with the Houston-based group the Scholars, who first released "The Poor Little Doggie".
After some solo releases, including 's " That Crazy Feeling ", Rogers then joined a group with the jazz singer Bobby Doyle. In , he became a member of the folk ensemble the New Christy Minstrels , playing double bass and bass guitar as well as singing.
As Rogers took an increased leadership role in the First Edition following the success of 's " Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town ", the band gradually changed styles to a more country feel. The band broke up in β76, and Rogers embarked on a long and successful solo career, which included several successful collaborations, including duets with singers Dottie West , Dolly Parton , and Sheena Easton , and a songwriting partnership with Lionel Richie.
His signature song, 's " The Gambler ", was a crossover hit that won him a Grammy Award in and was selected in for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. He developed the Gambler persona into a character for a successful series of television films starting with 's Emmy -nominated Kenny Rogers as The Gambler. Rogers's albums The Gambler and Kenny were featured in the About.
The first single from the album, " I Can't Unlove You ", was also a sizable chart hit. Remaining a popular entertainer around the world, he continued to tour regularly until his retirement in Brown Jr. Although the stores closed in the United States, they are still a fixture in Asia. Rogers was said to be of Irish and Native American ancestry. In , Rogers won a talent show at the Texan Theatre. He later attended the University of Houston. In , on The Phil Donahue Show , Rogers told the audience that he was the first person in his family "as far back as we know" to graduate from high school.
