Kenny Rogers - Third Time's A Charm

There's something about Kenny Rogers. He's charismatic, dynamic, and he's on pitch 99.9% of the time. Cheri's Mom gave us tickets for our 7th anniversary (thanks Janine) and KR didn't disappoint. We've seen him in Vancouver and Seattle before, this time at the River Rock Casino in Richmond. From experience I can say that fourth row at the River Rock is almost as good as the second row at the Queen Elizabeth.

He started with same song as the last time in Vancouver: "Love or Something Like It." He did all the favourites (Lucille, The Gambler, The Greatest, Coward of the County, Lady, Through the Years, Daytime Friends, Buy Me A Rose, and Islands in the Stream minus Dolly "the Bleater" Parton) and some newer ones from his latest album, Water & Bridges. He even sang some surprise selections, such as the First Edition's "Stand Up", John Hiatt's "Have A Little Faith in Me", which KR recorded on his Across My Heart album, released by Word, a Christian label (interesting bit of trivia, that), and "Owe Them More Than That", a tribute song to old country music legends. There was a Tim McGraw voiceover, just like on the album, and a roadie bought out a Tim McGraw cut-out that KR sang with/to. Funny stuff. He even had a few new jokes - and a whole lot of old ones. In fact, Cheri and I could predict what was coming.

KR is a consummate entertainer. But that is all he is. He is not a role model or a paragon of virtue, after three or four marriages and his latest, painfully noticeable run-in with a plastic surgeon's knife. I don't worship him (although I would venture, based on tonight, that a good many middle-aged women do). To put the questions about my son's name to rest, he was named after his Grandpa Ken. And no matter how you slice it, Kenny is a cool nickname.

KR may be back in town in a couple of years, when he hits the big Seven-O. And he still may sell out. But the way I figure it, I had better start looking for some good singers under sixty, before they all go the way of the dinosaurs.

Lists are fun. KR albums I own:

Greatest Hits
She Rides Wild Horses
Classics From The Heart
Water & Bridges (signed)
Love Songs
Back Home Again
With Love
Something Inside So Strong
All Time Greatest Hits KR & The First Edition
A Decade of Hits
The Gift
Christmas in America
KR Christmas
Twenty Great Years
There You Go Again
Hearts on Fire
Christmas From the Heart
The Gambler (Enhanced)
Back to the Well
A&E Live By Request
If Only My Heart Had A Voice
Across My Heart

I'm missing a few but there's no rush.