Kenny Rogers' memory will continue with a posthumous album release next month. The record, Life Is Like A Song, will feature eight songs pulled from Rogers' archives by his widow, Wanda.
Wanda's choices are described in the press release as a "stunning and emotional song cycle that tells the story of the love, life, loss, and faith between Rogers and his family."
Prior to his death in 2020, Kenny had not released music since 2015, when he recorded his Christmas album, Once Again It's Christmas. This week's release describes Life Is Like a Song as Kenny's only "non-compilation/non-reissued full-length album to be released on vinyl since 1991." The set will feature recordings from 2008 and 2011 which Wanda adds were "deeply personal" to Kenny.
Rogers performs his own interpretation of "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton and "Goodbye" by Lionel Richie on the album, along with his collaboration with Dolly Parton, "Tell Me What You Love." The recordings also feature Kenny's cover of Mack Gordon and Henry Warren's single, "At Last," which Etta James famously recorded in in 1960, and and "Say Hello to Heaven," initially written by Buddy Hyatt. Also on the list are "Love Is A Drug," written by Kim Carnes, and a cover of the Temptations' "I Wish It Would Rain."
Kenny served as a producer on the recordings, alongside alongside Tony Brown, Viktor Krauss, Kyle Lehning, and Brent Maher. His band, Bloodline: Randy Dorman and Steve Glassmeyer (for the deluxe version) and Warren Hartman and Chuck Jacobs are also credited. Wanda, Ken Levitan and Jason Henke each serve as executive producers.
Kenny sold over 100 million records in his lifetime, won three GRAMMYs and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He died in March 2020 of natural causes at the age of 81. He was later honored at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards, where Lionel Richie performed a tribute.
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