Life Is like a Song

by Kenny Rogers

Overview

Released three years after Kenny Rogers' passing in 2020, Life Is Like a Song consists of material he recorded between 2008 and 2011 -- a span of time also roughly covered the recordings that comprised You Can't Make Old Friends, the slick and splashy 2013 affair that was his first high-profile studio album in eons. Unlike that record, Life Is Like a Song is fairly understated. Dolly Parton is the only superstar guest -- Jamie O'Neal and Kim Keyes both contribute accomplished duets -- and the songs favor sentimentality so strongly, the record concludes with Lionel Richie's "Goodbye" serving as a slightly cornball farewell. Then again, one of Rogers' specialties was delivering corny material in a convincingly honeyed murmur and so it is here as he sings songs of love with a warm, gentle touch. If the songs veer toward somnolence, that doesn't necessarily detract from the album's mellow charm. It finds Rogers in good voice and spirits, which is enough to be a nice little epilogue to a career filled with songs as soft, slow, and comforting as these. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/02/2023
Label:	Ume / Universal
UPC:	0602448772596
Rank:	18361

Tracks

1. Love Is a Drug
2. I Wish It Would Rain
3. Am I Too Late
4. Tell Me That You Love Me
5. Straight into Love
6. Wonderful Tonight
7. Catchin' Grasshoppers
8. That's Love to Me
9. I Will Wait for You
10. Goodbye

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kenny Rogers   Primary Artist,Vocals
Dolly Parton   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Kim Keyes   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Jamie O'Neal   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
John Willis   Guitar (Electric),Hi String Guitar
Ilya Toshinskiy   Banjo,Guitar (Acoustic)
Amber Corr   Violin
Brian Franklin   Guitar (Electric)
Kristen Weber   Violin
Ethan Jodziewicz   Contrabass,Contrabass Recorder
Kristin Webber   Violin
Annaliese Kowert   Violin
Gene Sisk   Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Bobby Ogden   Organ,Piano
Larry Hall   Brass,Strings,Woodwind
Troy Johnson   Vocals (Background)
Austin Hoke   Cello
Elizabeth Lamb   Viola
Eric Ogden   Organ,Piano
Steve Gibson   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Perry Coleman   Vocals (Background)
Judson Spence   Vocals (Background)
Jim Hoke   Flute,Flute (Alto),Flute (Bass)
Annalise Kowert   Violin
Ryan Joseph   Cello,Viola,Violin
Viktor Krauss   Electronic Drums,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background),Hi String Guitar (Acoustic),Bass,Keyboards,Percussion,Electronics
Warren Hartman   Banjo,Piano,Strings,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Piano (Electric),Synthesizer Flute,Synthesizer Strings
Brent Mason   Guitar (Electric)
Glenn Worf   Bass
Brian Sutton   Guitar (Acoustic)
Dan Dugmore   Dobro
Kenny Greenberg   Guitar (Electric)
Matt Glassmeyer   Sax (Tenor)
Gordon Mote   Keyboards
Eric Darken   Percussion
Paul Franklin   Guitar (Steel),Guitar (Electric)
Steve Glassmeyer   Mandolin,Vocals (Background)
Steven Sheehan   Guitar (Acoustic)
Aubrey Haynie   Fiddle,Mandolin
Josh Leo   Vocals (Background)
Tania Hancheroff   Vocals (Background)
Michael Rhodes   Bass
Ashley Cleveland   Vocals (Background)
Fred Eltringham   Drums
Bryan Sutton   Guitar (Acoustic)
Eddie Bayers   Drums,Percussion
Bergen White   Brass,Strings,Woodwind
Kyle Lehning   Guitar (Electric),Guitar (12 String Electric)
Steve Brewster   Drums,Percussion
John Jarvis   Keyboards
Chuck Jacobs   Bass,Fretless Bass
Jimmy Nichols   Keyboards
Paul Leim   Drums
Joe Chemay   Bass
Tom Bukovac   Guitar (Electric)
Steve Nathan   Keyboards,Synthesizer
Wes Hightower   Vocals (Background)
Russ Pahl   Pedal Steel
Tammy Pierce   Vocals (Background)
Tom Roady   Percussion
Randy Scruggs   Guitar (Acoustic)
Randy Dorman   Guitar,Steel String,Guitar (Steel),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Nylon String)
Lynn Hammann   Drums

Technical Credits

Jason Henke   Executive Producer
Kevin Sokolnicki   Engineer
Laura Torno   Composer
David Biondilillo   Engineer
Seth Morton   Engineer
John Palmieri   Engineer
Gene Sisk   Synthesizer Programming
Norman Gimbel   Composer
Tony Brown   Producer
Eric Pittarelli   Composer
Jim Cooley   Engineer
Ken Levitan   Executive Producer
Wanda Rogers   Executive Producer
J.C. Monterrosa   Engineer
Hank Williams   Engineer,Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Kevin Dailey   Engineer
Jordan Lehning   Arranger,Engineer
Lionel Richie   Composer
Rodger Penzabene   Composer
Jim Hurt   Composer
Jim Photoglo   Composer
Nathan Krauss   Assistant Engineer
Viktor Krauss   Drum Programming,Engineer,Producer
Warren Hartman   Arranger,Engineer,Producer,Vocal Engineer
Todd Cerney   Composer
Matt Coles   Engineer
Tim Nichols   Composer
Brent Maher   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Buffy Lawson   Composer
Buddy Hyatt   Composer
Jimmy Rankin   Composer
Gary Burr   Composer
Joao Carvalho   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Steve Marcantonio   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
Jacques Demy   Composer
Billy Lawson   Composer
Larry Keith   Composer
Mack Gordon   Composer
Patricia Conroy   Composer
Steve Glassmeyer   Producer
Josh Leo   Composer
Jim DeMain   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Steve Blackmon   Engineer
Norman Whitfield   Composer
Harry Warren   Composer
Charles Yingling   Editing,Engineer
Bergen White   Arranger
Kenny Rogers   Producer
Bill Schnee   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Kyle Lehning   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Kim Carnes   Composer
Chuck Jacobs   Producer
Barrett Strong   Composer
Chuck Ainlay   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Earl Torno   Mixing,Editing,Composer,Mixing Engineer
Casey Wood   Editing,Engineer
Frank Farrell   Engineer
Ben Fowler   Engineer
Eric Clapton   Composer
Steve Nathan   Synthesizer Programming
Jeff Balding   Engineer
Randy Dorman   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mastering,Mixing Engineer,Mastering Engineer
Michel Legrand   Composer
Todd Tidwell   Engineer