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Kenny Rogers & The First Edition

Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
Thefirstedition.jpg
Promotional photo of Kenny Rogers and The First Edition in early 1968
Background information
Origin California
Genres Rock, psychedelic rock, country rock
Years active 1967–1976 (reunions: 2010)
Labels Reprise, Jolly Rogers
Associated acts The New Christy Minstrels
Past members Kenny Rogers
Mickey Jones
Terry Williams
Mike Settle
Thelma Camacho
Mary Arnold
Kin Vassy
Jimmy Hassell
John Hobbs
Gene Lorenzo

Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, previously named The First Edition, was a eclectic pop band, who styles ranged from rock and roll to R&B, folk, and country. Its core members were Kenny Rogers (lead vocals and bass guitar), Mickey Jones (drums and percussion) and Terry Williams (guitar and vocals). The band formed in 1967, with folk musician Mike Settle (guitar and backing vocals) and the operatically-trained Thelma Camacho (lead vocals) completing the lineup.

As the 1960s counterculture was heating up, The First Edition signed with Reprise Records in the summer of 1967 and had its first big hit in early 1968 with the pop-psychedelic single "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" (US No. 5). After only one more chart hit, "But You Know I Love You" (US No. 19), the group, newly billed as "Kenny Rogers and the First Edition", once again hit the top ten, this time in the summer of 1969 with the topical "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" (US No. 6, UK No.2).

For the next six years, First Edition bounced between country rock, pop andpsychedelic rock, enjoying worldwide success. By the mid 1970s, frontman Kenny Rogers would embark on a solo music career, becoming one of the top-selling country artists of all time.

Kenny Rogers and The First Edition were (apart from Mickey Jones) made up of former New Christy Minstrels who felt creatively stifled. In 1967, with the help of Terry Williams' mother, who worked for producer/executive Jimmy Bowen, they signed with Reprise and recorded their first single together, "I Found a Reason", which picked up minor sales. Like much of the work by the original lineup, this was a distinctly contemporary composition with an intensely performed Mike Settle vocal. Settle had first come up with the idea of forming the band as his work took on the characteristics of rock. Over the previous seven years, Mike had been writing decidedly more folk-oriented songs, most notably the oft-covered "Sing Hallelujah".


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