Kenny Rogers - Gold (1993)

Kenny Rogers' biggest hits -- "The Gambler," "Lady," "She Believes in Me," and "You Decorated My Life" among them -- flowed so easily it's a wonder that it took him the better part of a decade to land upon his signature blend of country-pop and easy listening. He wandered through jazz combos and folk groups, eventually finding his way toward the First Edition, the show bizzy psychedelic pop group who scored a pair of big hits in the late 1960s with "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town." The First Edition didn't quite weather the transition from the '60s into the '70s, leaving Rogers stranded in Las Vegas clubs until he refashioned himself as a country crooner with 1977's "Lucille," a single that topped the country charts and rocketed into the pop Top Ten. From there, he became a genuine superstar, a fixture on both the country and pop charts who managed to retain his celebrity even after the hits stopped. During the later period of his career, Rogers was as famous for his fame as he was for his music, a position he parlayed into TV appearances, restaurant franchises, and touring, a combination of that sustained a successful life in show biz until his retirement in 2017 and death in 2020.