This week, celebrate the artistry of the great Kenny Rogers (1938-2020) who, sadly, passed away a couple of weeks ago on March 20. Mr. Rogers was one of the true icons of American country and pop music. Mr. Rogers had dozens of hits on his repertoire including “The Gambler,” “You Decorated My Life,” “Lady,” “Islands In The Stream” with Dolly Parton and “Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer” with Kim Carnes.

David Foster crossed paths with Rogers in the early eighties. The results were timeless, multi-format hits like “We’ve Got Tonight” with Sheena Easton, “Crazy” and “What About Me” with Ms. Carnes and the late, great James Ingram (1952-2019). In 1984, The Hitman also produced the multi-platinum Christmas album, Once Upon A Christmas, for Rogers and Ms. Parton. From that album came “The Greatest Gift Of All,” “A Christmas To Remember” and several other Christmas classics.

In 1994, Foster was red-hot after his giant success with platinum-plus orchestral recordings for superstars including Michael Bolton, the late Natalie Cole (1950-2015) and Barbra Streisand. Foster was approached by Rogers to work on a similar, jazz-infused record. The result was a cd titled Timepiece which was released in October 1994. It presented beautiful reworkings of many classics of the American songbook like “My Funny Valentine,” “But Beautiful” and “The Nearness Of You;” all produced by Foster with the collaboration of giant arrangers Johnny Mandel and Jeremy Lubbock. The country/pop superstar journeyed back to his jazz roots. Under Foster’s guidance, Mr. Rogers gave a string of flawless performances. The song highlighted here was “Love Is Just Around The Corner,” with special vocals by the insanely talented Take 6. Foster arranged the track with gifted pianist Randy Waldman and the result was a finger-snapping, happy musical moment that’s just perfect to celebrate the immense talent of Kenny Rogers.

R.I.P. Mr. Rogers and thank you for the exceptional music.

Listen

• Lead Vocal: Kenny Rogers
• Guest Vocals: Take 6
• Piano: Randy Waldman
• Drums: Jeff Hamilton & John Guerin
• Guitars: John Chiodini & Joe Pisano
• Bass: Chuck Domanico & John Patitucci

• Arranged by David Foster & Randy Waldman
• Vocals Arranged by Cedric Dent & Mark Kibble
• Produced by David Foster

Lyrics

Beautiful miracle, pardon my lyrical rhapsody,
Can’t you see? Oh, you have captured me!
Being so glamorous, now can’t you be amorous just with me,
Make it soon, Cop a look at that moon.

Love is just around the corner,
Any cozy little corner,
Love is just around the corner,
When I’m around you.

I’m a sentimental mourner,
And I couldn’t be forlorner,
When you keep me on that corner,
Just waiting for you.

Venus de Milo was noted for her charms,
But strictly between us,
You are cuter than Venus,
And what’s more you’ve got arms!

Let’s go cuddle in a corner,
Any cozy little corner,
Love is just around the corner,
And I’m around you.

Love is just around the corner,
Any cozy corner,
Love is just around the corner,
When I’m around you.

I’m ten times as faithful,
As all your other men,
They all are true to no one but you,
But me I’m true to ten.

Oh, let’s go cuddle in a cozy corner,
Any cozy little corner,
Love is just around the corner,
And I’m around you.

Written by Paul Gordon & Tom Keane

In the early Eighties, country superstar Kenny Rogers made the transition to the Pop/Adult Contemporary charts thanks to his collaborations with world-class music makers like Lionel Richie, The Bee Gees and David Foster.

The Canadian super-producer crafted important hits for the veteran superstar including his 1982 #1 duet “We’ve Got Tonight” with Sheena Easton and the elegant ballad, “What About Me?,” sung with James Ingram and Kim Carnes. In late 1984, “What About Me?” climbed the charts to #15 on Pop and #1 on Adult Contemporary charts. Both songs can be found in our archives. “What About Me?” was also the title track of Rogers’ 1984 album that became another platinum-plus seller for the singer. Foster produced three other tracks for What About Me?. “Crazy” was a gorgeous love song co-written by Rogers with Richard Marx that deserved to reach #1 on the Country chart and the Top Five on Adult Contemporary around year’s end. Foster mastered all the previously mentioned songs with his unique knack for grand, dramatic ballads showing, once again, that he was at the top of his game and could do no wrong. The Hitman basically owned the Adult Contemporary chart. The accomplishments he mined with Rogers are perfect examples of his musical art. The remaining two “Foster” songs on What About Me? may be lesser-known, but they were quite interesting for his aficionados. The catchy pop mid-tempo, “Somebody Took My Love,” was a Marx composition co-written with fellow singer/songwriter David Pomeranz. “The Night Goes On” was a blue-eyed soul ballad with echoes of Bobby Caldwell and co-written by Tom Keane and Paul Gordon who were fixtures in the Foster camp.

With “The Night Goes On,” the two gifted songwriters came up with a catchy melody that they put in Foster’s capable hands. The result was another winner. The super-producer perfectly crafted the track adding a nice R&B flavor to it and the arrangement is close to  Foster’s high-tech work on monster sellers including Chicago 17. Rogers gave another top notch performance on this song with his warm baritone. The singer completed his transition from country star to elegant, all-around performer by handling the pop/adult contemporary material with extreme class and style.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Kenny-Rogers-The-Night-Goes-On-Remastered.mp3|titles=The Night Goes On|artists=Kenny Rogers]

Lead Vocals: Kenny Rogers
Keyboards & Synthesizers: David Foster & Tom Keane
Bass: Nathan East & Neil Stubenhaus
Drums: John Robinson
Guitars: Michael Landau & Paul Jackson, Jr.
Backing Vocals: Kenny Cetera, Terry Williams, Richard Marx & Portia Griffin

Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

You and me walking on the land
But we can lose a stare from time in time
Cause we both get lonely
And it makes me more afraid
As the night goes on

How long will it take until we know
If we should pray and say I’ll let it go
Cause I feel the danger
That maybe we should try to take it slow
As the night goes on

And the night goes on
Keeping us waiting, keeping us holding on
‘Til we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on
Don’t let it shake us, just let it make us strong
So we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on

You and me keep talking heart to heart
But why don’t we stop talking and just start
Cause it makes me restless
Can’t you see it’s tearing us apart

As the night goes on
Keeping us waiting, keeping us holding on
‘Til we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on
Don’t let it shake us, just let it make us strong
So we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on

And the night goes on
Keeping us waiting, keeping us holding on
‘Til we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on
Don’t let it shake us, just let it make us strong
So we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on

I see myself when I look in your eyes
Staring back with a look of surprise
At what’s going on
Don’t turn back you can get away now
We’re just a step from ten feet off the ground
We’re alright where we belong
And nobody can say where we were wrong

And the night goes on
Keeping us waiting, keeping us holding on
‘Til we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on
Don’t let it shake us, just let it make us strong
So we’re not afraid of falling in love
And the night goes on…

written by John Jarvis

“Once Upon A Christmas” was released in 1984 by two legends of country/pop, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was also the first holiday-themed recording ever produced by David Foster. At the time, the Canadian producer worked with Rogers on chart topping hits like “We’ve Got Tonight,” “What About Me?” and “Crazy.”

Foster delivered that same catchy, adult contemporary approach to “Once Upon A Christmas” soaring the album to #12 on the Country charts, #31 on Billboard’s Top 200 and eventually certified multi-platinum. “Once Upon A Christmas” kept having consistent sales year after year to become one of the biggest Christmas albums of the eighties and it is a steady seller to this day.

“Once Upon A Christmas” also spawned a multi-format chart single with the romantic ballad, “The Greatest Gift Of All.” Written by renowned Nashville composer John Jarvis, “The Greatest Gift Of All” is a sweet love song with lyrics set on a peaceful Christmas eve and gently sung by Rogers and Parton. The duet benefits from Foster’s perfectly toned, radio-friendly production and his electric piano beautifully backs up the singers’ familiar voices. As the song develops, the producer’s thumbprints become more evident in the effective use of the orchestra and the evocative refrain that’s as Foster-ish as it can get. “The Greatest Gift Of All” eventually peaked at #81 on Billboard’s Hot 100, #53 on the Country chart and #40 Adult Contemporary chart.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/the_greatest_gift_of_all.mp3|titles=The Greatest Gift Of All|artists=Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton]

Lead Vocals: Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Guitars: Michael Landau
Keyboards: David Foster
Drums: John Robinson & Paul Leim
Bass: Neil Stubenhaus & Dennis Belfield
Strings Arrangement by Jeremy Lubbock

Produced by David Foster & Kenny Rogers

Lyrics

Dawn is slowly breaking our friends have all gone home
You and I are waiting for Santa Claus to come
There’s a present by the tree stockings on the wall
Knowing you’re in love with me is the greatest gift of all
The fire is slowly fading chill is in the air
All the gifts are waiting for children everywhere
Through the window I can see snow begin to fall
Knowing you’re in love with me is the greatest gift of all
Just before I go to sleep I hear a church bell ring
Merry Christmas everyone is the song it sings
So I Play a silent prayer for creatures great and small
Peace on earth good will to men is the greatest gift of all
Peace on earth good will to men is the greatest gift of all

“We’ve Got Tonight” is a sweet love ballad, originally written and performed by American rocker Bob Seger for his 1978 album “Stranger In Town.” That song became a hit and was eventually covered in 1983, with even bigger success, by country superstar Kenny Rogers in a duet with UK pop newcomer Sheena Easton.

This new rendition had David Foster at the helm. With this song as well as Chicago’s “Hard To Say I’m Sorry,” the Canadian music-maker shaped up the adult contemporary sounds of the eighties. His refined, keyboards based arrangements with guitars, lush orchestra and top notch vocals created ear candy atmospheres that brought Foster enormous success and were often imitated during that decade. “We’ve Got Tonight” went to #1 on the country charts, #6 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and #2 Adult Contemporary. The worldwide triumph of “We’ve Got Tonight” perfected Rogers’ transition to global pop star and boosted Easton’s blooming career. The following years, Foster kept collaborating with Rogers on more hits like “What About Me?” and “Crazy.” He also produced Easton again in the nineties for a couple of her projects.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/we_ve_got_tonight.mp3|titles=WE’VE GOT TONIGHT|artists=Kenny Rogers – Sheena Easton]

Lead Vocals: Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton
Keyboards: David Foster
Bass: Nathan East
Drums: Michael Baird
Guitar: Marty Walsh

Arranged by David Foster
Strings Arrangement: Jeremy Lubbock
Produced by David Foster & Kenny Rogers

Lyrics

I KNOW IT’S LATE,I KNOW YOU’RE WEARY
I KNOW YOUR PLANS DON’T INCLUDE ME
STILL HERE WE ARE, BOTH OF US LONELY
LONGING FOR SHELTER FROM ALL THAT WE SEE

WHY SHOULD WE WORRY, NO ONE WILL CARE, GIRL
LOOK AT THE STARS NOW SO FAR AWAY

WE’VE GOT TONIGHT
WHO NEEDS TOMORROW?
WE’VE GOT TONIGHT BABY
WHY DON’T YOU STAY?

DEEP IN MY SOUL, I’VE BEEN SO LONELY
ALL OF MY HOPES, FADING AWAY
I’VE LONGED FOR LOVE, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES
I KNOW I’LL KEEP SEARCHING, AFTER TODAY

SO THAT THERE IT IS GIRL
WE’VE GOT IT ALL NOW
AND HERE WE ARE BABY
WHAT DO YOU SAY?

WE’VE GOT TONIGHT
WHO NEEDS TOMORROW?
WE’VE GOT TONIGHT BABY
WHY DON’T “WE” STAY?

I KNOW IT’S LATE, I KNOW YOU’RE WEARY
I KNOW YOUR PLANS DON’T INCLUDE ME
STILL HERE WE ARE, BOTH OF US LONELY
BOTH OF US LONELY

WE’VE GOT TONIGHT
WHO NEEDS TOMORROW?
LET’S MAKE IT LAST
LET’S FIND A WAY
TURN OUT THE LIGHT
OH, OH, COME TAKE MY HAND NOW

WE’VE GOT TONIGHT BABY
WHY DON’T YOU STAY?
WE’VE GOT TONIGHT BABY
WHY DON’T YOU STAY?

On the market there’s a large amount of greatest hits and “best of” compilations showcasing Kenny Rogers’ long career and impressive body of work. Everything can be found from his first steps in the country field, his superstar days and even his most recent works. “Islands In The Stream: The Greatest Hits 1983-1988” focuses on Rogers’ early eighties transition from country icon to Pop/Adult Contemporary star. During that phase, the singer collaborated with giants like The Bee Gees, Lionel Richie and David Foster to achieve great success with catchy love ballads that were the perfect tool for his warm, friendly baritone. This compilation offers big hits like “Eyes That See In The Dark,” written by the Brothers Gibb, Foster’s refined “What About Me?” and Kim Carnes’ “Make No Mistake She’s Mine.” Other goodies on this record are the rocking, up-tempo “Twenty Years Ago” produced by Jay Graydon and a sweet cover of Foster’s masterpiece ballad, “The Best Of Me.” Another highlight is “Crazy,” a gem co-written by Rogers with a very young Richard Marx and produced by Foster. “Crazy” was originally included in 1984’s “What About Me?” and was released as its second single to very good success.
“Crazy” reached #1 on the country charts and was also a solid Pop/AC hit. This song is a gorgeous ballad that mixes Rogers’ evocative vocals with Foster’s lush arrangement and sparkling production. “Crazy” and the entire “Islands In The Stream: The Greatest Hits 1983-1988” make for a very entertaining listen, especially if you love those sweet, elegant pop melodies of that decade.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/crazy.mp3|titles=Crazy|artists=Kenny Rogers]

Lead Vocals: Kenny Rogers
Drums: John Robinson
Bass: Nathan East, Neil Stubenhaus
Guitars: Michael Landau
Keyboards: David Foster, Randy Kerber
Background Vocals: Richard Marx
Strings Arranged by Jeremy Lubbock
Produced by David Foster

Lyrics

Girl, there are no words to say
what I feel in my heart
you, you’re on my mind night and day
and it hurts me when we’re apart
when you’re not here by my side
there is nothing in this world for me.

I guess I’m crazy
crazy for you can’t you see
although you may think it’s crazy
here it’s where I want to be
I will always need your love.

Well now, I can see every dream
when I look in your eyes
and though, things never are what they seem
there is one thing that I realize
that there’s no doubt in my mind
we can make this love go on forever.

I guess I’m crazy
crazy for you can’t you see
although you may think it’s crazy
here it’s where I’ll always be
and I need you with me

Cos you are the dream
that finally came true in me
in all my life there’ll be noone else
if I looked all my life
there could be noone else
and for the rest of my life
all I need is you.