Kenny Rogers Album: “Gambler [Dreamcatcher]”

Originally released in November 1978,this was the album that more

than any other helped to make Kenny Rogers a household name. The

cover of the CD inspired Kenny's longtime manager Ken Kragen to

strike up a deal with CBS-TV for a movie of the week,which was

the highest rated movie on television in 1980,and also led to

several sequels. Dreamcatcher,Kenny's label is in the process of

re-releasing several of his classic 70s and 80s albums...and this

is a great place to start. For one,if you have dismissed Kenny as

nothing more than a Pop singer who had success as a Country act,

this might enlighten you!

Rather,this is,in my opinion Rogers's second best CD ever,the

best being the long out-of-print EYES THAT SEE IN THE DARK,and

features in addition to "The Gambler" and "She Believes In Me",

possibly the best song Rogers ever cut,"King Of Oak Street".It's

a little long ( 5:03 ),but one of his all-time best. If you have

never heard Kenny's version of "I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way

Again"...you need to...Keep em'coming,Dreamcatcher!

This I would have to say is definately one of Kenny's best albums! Not to mention the title song becoming one of the best known songs of all time and spawning 5 movies of the same name! The album also contains several other songs that I think are just wonderful. "The Hoodooin' of Miss Fanny DeBerry", "Makin' Music for Money", "A Little More Like Me", and "She Believes in Me". Not to mention also that this reissue also contains an enhanced portion containing a card game, a screen saver, and a live version of "The Gambler" with clips from all 5 movies! Great stuff!

In June 1978, a Country recording artist named Don Schlitz put out a record he wrote called The Gambler for Capitol and saw it quickly stall at # 65 Country. Meanwhile, another Country singer, Hugh Moffatt, did a cover for Mercury and did even worse, settling for a # 95 Country that same month. Fast forward to October and Kenny Rogers, already with four # 1 Country hits to his credit, and seeing something special in the song, released it on United Artists 1250 and then sat back and saw it soar to # 1 Country by November, where it would stay for 3 weeks, # 3 Adult Contemporary (AC), and # 16 Billboard Pop Hot 100 b/w Momma's Waiting.

The song also became the focus of this, his sixth studio album, which followed in November (UA-LA934-H), itself quickly rising to # 1 on Billboard's Country album charts and # 12 on their Pop Top 200, eventually going platinum by early 1979. It did not include the single B-side, but it did spawn another hit single in She Believes In Me, which also reached # 1 Country (2 weeks), # 1 AC (also 2 weeks) and # 5 Hot 100 in May/June 1979 on United Artists 1273 b/w Morgana Jones, which is in the album. Another track, I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again, was covered by T. Graham Brown in 1986 and in May/June reached # 3 Country for Capitol.

With Bill Justis handling the string arrangements (Sheldon Kurland, Carl Gorodetzky, Byron Bach, Steven Smith, George Brinkley, Lennie Haight, Marvin Chantry, Pamela and Gary Vanosdale, and Roy Christensen), other contributing musicians/vocalists are: bass guitarist Tommy Allsup; guitarists Randy Dorman (also background vocals); Ray Edenton, Rick Harper, Jerry Shook, Jimmy Capp, Billy Sanford, Tony Joe White and Reggie Young; upright bass players Dennis Wilson and Bob Moore; keyboardists Thomas Cain, Gene Golden (also background vocals) and Hargus "Pig" Robbins; soprano saxophonist Steve Glassmeyer (also keyboard and backing vocals); clarinetist Edgar Struble (also ARP synthesizer, congas and background vocals); steel guitarist Pete Drake; drummers/percussionists Eddy Anderson, Byron Metcalf, Jerry Carrigan and Bobby Daniels (also background vocals), and background vocalists The Jordanaires, Mickey Newberry and Bill Medley. Quite an all-star lineup for one album assembled by producer Larry Butler.

The tracks, with writers shown in brackets, are:

Side 1

1. The Gambler (Don Schlitz) - 3:32

2. I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again (Rafe VanHoy, Don Cook & Curly Putman) - 2:55

3. King Of Oak Street (Alex Harvey) - 4:55

4. Makin' Music For Money (Alex Harvey) - 3:10

5. The Hoodooin' Of Miss Fannie Deberry (Alex Harvey) - 4:44

Side 2

1. She Believes In Me (Steve Gibb) - 4:11

2. Tennessee Bottle (Jim Ritchey) - 3:59

3. Sleep Tight, Goodnight Man (Sam Lorber & Jeff Silbar) - 2:52

4. Little More Like Me (The Crucifixion) (Sonny Throckmorton) - 2:47

5. San Francisco Mabel Joy (Mickey Newbury) - 3:36

6. Morgana Jones (Kenny Rogers) - 3:03

One of the classic albums of all time! I have never liked country music and I never will with one exception and 2 words. KENNY ROGERS! Why? Because Kenny Rogers rocks! This album is no exception. It is the album that got me into Kenny Rogers in the first place.

I don't even know how you can consider Kenny Rogers as country. The Eagles are twice as twangy and country sounding as Kenny is while being considered rock. It is a crime to have your music labeled as country when you really are not. Every song on this album is as good now as the day it was recorded. Even if you listen to it on LP or cassette. So good this is remastered but the only problem is it is hard to find new and you can only find it on the internet. I have looked in every music store and could not find a copy. So you might as well get it around here. Everything from the piano playing and guitar playing is Kenny Rogers at his best. Almost all his albums were good and I have always been a fan but this is my personal favorite. While Kenny Rogers Botox injections and face lifts may not last his music will live forever!

this product was received in good time and in great shape. It was a replacement for my Father's that he lost and really liked the tape.

I really appreciate the way this transaction was handled.

Would definitely do business again.