A Conversation With Kenny Rogers Opens Exhibit

2013 Hall of Fame Inductee Kenny Rogers will participate in a special interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 2:30 p.m. CST.

The expert-led conversation will take place in conjunction with the debut of Kenny Rogers: Through the Years, a biographical exhibit in the museum’s East Gallery opening Aug. 15, 2014, and running until June 14, 2015.

Rogers will recount memories from throughout his history-making life and career during the interview, which will be held in the museum’s CMA Theater. Archival photographs and video will supplement the storytelling. The event is included with museum admission and free for museum members; seating is limited and a program pass is required. The interview will be streamed live online here.

Opening weekend programs include a songwriter session on Aug. 16 with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Don Schlitz, who penned Rogers’s signature story song “The Gambler” and a film screening of 2001’s Kenny Rogers: Live by Request on Aug. 17. A companion book also entitled Kenny Rogers: Through the Years will accompany the exhibit.

“Kenny Rogers redefined and elevated country music superstardom in every sense,” said Museum Director Kyle Young. “He blurred traditional genre lines and substantially expanded the core demographics of country music’s audience, all by being true to his unique artistic vision. His versatility is astounding. We could not be more thrilled to share this detailed presentation of his story.”

Rogers has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has charted a single in each of the last seven decades. According to the RIAA, he has one diamond album, 19 platinum albums, and 31 gold albums. His accolades include three Grammys, six Country Music Association awards, and eight Academy of Country Music awards. Rogers was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

The exhibit will feature dozens of artifacts including costume pieces from the Gambler TV movie series, Dolly Parton’s rhinestone-embellished velvet jacket and dress she wore during a performance of “Islands in the Stream” with Rogers, and a die-cast metal replica of the Camaro race car driven by Kenny Rogers in the film Six Pack.

For more information on the Country Music Hall of Fame, click here.