Expect a little of everything tonight By Rana Lehr The Daily Herald

OREM - Welcome to one of the greatest performances to come to the David O. McKay Events Center at Utah Valley State College: Kenny Rogers and his backup band, Bloodline. He sings the ballads that say what every man wants to say and what every woman wants to hear, the entertainer said in a personal telephone interview. Then he aims for the simple art of telling a story to satisfy those who shy away from gushy romances. Kenny considers "The Gambler" "Lucille" and "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" as guy songs whereas "Lady," "Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer" and "Islands in the Stream" as songs with which women connect.

If you do some of both, then everyone can have a good time," Kenny said. And this is what he does, he combines romantic tales with stories of down and out-of-luck men. The entertainer has proven concert after concert, album after album that this is a winning combination. It's this winning combination that makes his concerts a success. Kenny packs large venues not just in the United States, but also in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Despite the plethora of past hits, Kenny tries to make each performance fresh, different from the last one a fan might have seen.

"I like the idea of doing something fresh, something new," he said.

Yes, he'll be playing some of those old favorites, he'd have to otherwise the audience might turn on him. But after satiating the desire to hear those old familiar tunes, Kenny said he'll play some of his more recent works that many fans aren't familiar with.

"In Utah, I'll do some old hits people love to hear and then some new songs," the musician said. "I like to cross (musical) genres a lot." Kenny is working on a new album with a very different sound. It will be more techno groovish. There'll even be a hip hop song. "It'll be wonderful," the country rocker said. If we're lucky, we'll get to hear some of that in tonight's concert.

Making it happen

Kenny has proven that anyone can be successful. The superstar started life in humble circumstances. He was raised with seven siblings in a small apartment in housing projects in Houston, Texas. He was never an "A" student, but he loved music. Kenny said almost the only time he saw his father's family enjoying time together was when they got together and played music. Kenny has enjoyed success while in various bands playing several genres of music. Everything from folk to jazz to rock to country to country rock. He still likes to cross the music boundaries separating genres. In fact, he was voted the Decade's Hottest Crossover Star by Billboard magazine. "Success comes from enthusiasm of projects," the entertainer said. It's not just who you know. That will only get a performer so far. Not many performers can claim more than four decades of success, worldwide recognition and a record of selling more than 80 million albums.

Big decision

His first album was cut in 1958. Later, Dick Clark invited the unknown artist to perform on American Bandstand. That went so well that Kenny permanently halted his college career and began entertaining full time. From there, success was just around the corner. Serious success began in the late '60s with The First Edition that played folk rock. That was all the craze at the time. From there, he headed to Nashville and began a solo country career. Even though Kenny enjoys incredible success, he's not content to do the same old thing year in and year out. His music now tends to be more country rock. And he's not afraid to work with rappers and give them permission to change his hit song "The Gambler." He has also worked with Annie Lennox and N'Sync, to name a few. If you're not familiar with these names, it's because their names are never seen in connection with country music.

"It's really been an interesting career," the humble entertainer said who never expected this kind of success. "I can't explain it. I try not to be one dimensional" so people won't loose interest.

With gray hair and a few more wrinkles than when he started more than 40 years ago, Kenny focuses on having three simple things in life: "someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to."

"I have all those things in life," the entertainer said.

Like the hero in "Coward of the County" Kenny has nothing to prove. He's done it all and keeps doing it only because it is his biggest love in life. He acts, he promotes charities, he photographs and publishes them in books; but he always comes back to his roots: music. Whether it's jazz, country, or new hip-hop groove, music is his life and entertaining is his passion.

"It's something I get tremendous satisfaction from," he said of touring and sharing his music with fans all over the world.