Kenny Rogers' rock and roll life - drugs and five marriages

By Mirror | 4yrs ago | 5 min read

Kenny Rogers passed away on Saturday at the age of 81.

The Grammy-award winning icon had a music career spanning over 60 years and throughout his life made headlines not only for his hits but also for a number of rock and roll scandals.

The Gambler musician had an insatiable appetite for women - so much so that he was married five times - but his randy nature landed him in hot water in the 90's when he was embroiled in a phone sex scandal.

In true rocker style, he also dabbled in drugs and had plastic surgery regrets.

Kenny tied the knot five times during his life - which he blamed on choosing a career in music.

The Islands in the Stream singer told Reuters in 2012: "This may seem like an absurd statement, but every woman I married, I really loved when I married her.

"And I don’t blame them for the marriage falling apart. I blame myself and my chosen field of music. That’s why I say that music is a mistress because you can’t wait to get out there to it, and usually, the mistress wins in a situation like that.

"That’s kind of what happened to me. Hey, you can’t say I’m afraid of commitment. I’ve been married five times.”

His first said 'I do' in 1958 to Janice Gordon and they ended their union in 1960.

**Kenny was married five times - he blamed his four divorces on having a career in the music industry [Photo: Image: PA]**

In his memoir Luck or Something Like It the country star shared that the first time the couple had sex Janice fell pregnant with their daughter Carole - which led to him marrying her.

Following the breakdown of the marriage, it was decided that Kenny would have no contact with Carole.

He explained in his autobiography: "That was my promise to them, that I would be her father, but he (his ex-wife's second husband) would be her Dad, and I don't want to disrupt that. He stepped in at a time that was really awkward for all of us, and he became her Dad, and I love him for that. He was a good guy."

The star was then married to Jean Rogers from 1960-1963, they did not have any kids.

Margo Anderson was his third wife - the couple wed in October 1964 and divorced in 1976 - they share a son named Kennedy.

In 1977 he fell for TV star Marianne Gordon and they became officially married the same year but went their separate ways in 1993 - they have a son named Christopher.

In 1997, Rogers married his fifth wife, Wanda Miller - he found happiness with her and they have two twin sons Justin and Jordan.

Phone Sex

In the '90s the lustful performer admitted to setting up an 1800 number for women to call so he could have phone sex with them - which he said himself he believed it was the "safest sex there was".

Three women later filed a lawsuit against the star claiming he pressured into playing kinky games over the telephone.

Actress Lisa Applewhite also made claims that he used his fame and fortune to try and get her to visit him at a hotel - where he made sexual advances to her.

**In 1997 he married for the final time - he found happiness with Wanda Miller [Photo: Reuters]**

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2012, he shared: "I thought that (phone sex) was the safest sex there was, only to get hammered by it."

"Here I was, it’s between friends. We can’t be together, so let’s talk about it. It was great, it was exciting, it was fun."

The star told Fox News after: "If I’d fought the lawsuit I could have won that battle. It was a phone number they had to call and pick up the message.

"They didn’t have to call if they didn’t want to, but they did and recorded it.

"I thought that it was going to cost me more to fight it than to pay it so I paid it and left it alone. What hurt me the most was I thought they were friends."

In 2012 he told American journalist Anderson Cooper: "There was a time when I had a lot of money and a lot of time and I thought, 'What the hell, I'll go do something.' "

Rogers also shared in an interview with CBS News that he selected a top plastic surgeon who had a certain for his work - but that the medical professional had a certain look in mind for him.

Proving he was not keen, he shared: "I regret that….you live with it."

In his memoir, the singer said he was the original Lindsey Lohan as he reflected on how he could have gone down a similar path of self-destruction.

He shared on taking drugs before stepping out on stage to perform and speaking nonsense to the crowd - which his bandmates pulled him up on.

Kenny told: "I smoked pot one night, and I decided to talk on stage," the Texan recalls. "I thought I was great. I was having the time of my life, and I came off the stage and the guys in the band said, 'What were you talking about when you went off on this thing about the zoo."

"[I said] What? Why would I have done that?"

Rogers also recalled that he tried acid and said the effects made him happy, sad and crazy - but it was a one-time thing.

Kenny's family confirmed his death on March 21 in a statement that read: "The Rogers family is sad to announce that Kenny Rogers passed away last night.

"Rogers passed away peacefully at home from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family.

"In a career that spanned more than six decades, Kenny Rogers left an indelible mark on the history of American music.

"His songs have endeared music lovers and touched the lives of millions around the world."

"Chart-topping hits like "The Gambler," "Lady," "Islands In The Stream," "Lucille," "She Believes In Me," and "Through the Years" are just a handful of Kenny Rogers' songs that have inspired generations of artists and fans alike.

"The family is planning a small private service at this time out of concern for the national COVID-19 emergency.