During his yearlong tour, The Gambler's Last Deal, billed as his final worldwide one, country superstar Kenny Rogers treated fans gathered in North Little Rock's Verizon Arena Thursday to a nearly 2-hour musical journey through his storied career.
Taking the stage at 8 p.m., the Country Music Hall of Fame member and Grammy Award winner, performing in the arena's more intimate theater setting, dealt the crowd gathered around his table a mighty fine hand.
The show also featured Grammy winner Linda Davis joining the 78-year-old Houston native on his duets.
The show, a retrospective of his nearly 60-year career, was underscored with video clips, rare footage of Rogers and vintage photos of the singer.
He also offered a montage of friends -- fellow entertainers who'd passed away through the years, including Arkansans Jim Ed Brown and Johnny Cash -- while performing "They Just Don't Make 'em, Like You Anymore."
During the nearly two-hour show, Rogers offered up 25 songs -- plus a medley of three more -- from his career, which began with the New Christy Minstrels folk group in 1966 and his later work with the First Edition (later known as Kenny Rogers and the First Edition) before embarking on a solo career.
Rogers opened with "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" and soon afterward offered a medley of "Through the Years," "You Decorated My Life," and "She Believes in Me."
As expected, the singer offered up all his No. 1 hits including "The Gambler," "Lucille," "Coward of the County," "Lady," "Islands in the Stream," and "We've Got Tonight," with Davis singing "Daytime Friends."
The multi-award winner, who's recorded 75 albums throughout his career, entertained the audience with music, banter, video clips, stories, and even a montage of photos he'd taken during his travels across the nation during his song, "'Merica."
He was also self-deprecating, reassuring the people in the front row that even though he looked like he might fall, if he did, they didn't need to worry about helping him up.
"I have Life Alert," Rogers deadpanned.
He was especially strong vocally on his hits "The Gambler" and "Lady."
Before his encore, the singer joked:
"This is the part where I ... normally get up and walk out and then come back. But I am afraid if I do, I won't ever make it back."
Rogers concluded the show with a rousing, upbeat performance of "Blaze of Glory," with Davis singing beside him.
Metro on 10/07/2016