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Editorial Reviews

One of the more interesting things about Kenny Rogers' 20 Greatest Hits is its depth -- certainly all the big hits of his career, from "The Gambler" and "We've Got Tonight," to "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer," are here -- and how this set goes back to Rogers' years with the First Edition, perhaps the most important period in his development as an artist. Songs such as "Ruben James," "Ruby (Don't Take Your Love to Town)," and "Somethin's Burnin'" were paramount in giving the singer a separate identity and for informing his direction. These latter three songs, all much rawer and generally less middle of the road because of their heavy leaning on roots, folk, country, and rock, were, nonetheless, absolute smash hits on radio and in record stores. They gave Rogers the bargaining power with labels and the heft needed to do whatever he wanted to as an artist. That he chose a song like "The Gambler" (brought to him by late Mickey Newbury) was a career risk because of its reliance on old-West-style narrative storytelling, early country music (presented in later 20th century tropes, of course), and moral and allegory. It was a step away from everything popular at the time. Never mind that the song became a cliché and a weight around the singer's neck -- the latter is pop culture 20/20 vision and nonsense, as the song changed the way people saw the performer and heard songs for a while. All in all, then, 20 Greatest Hits, while a budget comp, has its own hidden story to reveal and for the money is a fantastic purchase and a great introduction to Rogers. Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

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