Hello, and welcome to another Hodag Country Festival Flashback! As we count down to the 2023 Hodag Country Festival in Rhinelander, let’s look back at the artists who performed at past festivals.
Kenny Rogers appeared at only two Hodag Country Festivals. His first visit was in 1998, in advance of the album, She Rides Wild Horses. That album included The Greatest and Buy Me A Rose. Although it’s not clear whether Rogers sang either one of those tunes that year, he might have during his second stint at the festival in 2014.
By then, Rogers was on the edge of retirement but went on tour to promote the album You Can’t Make Old Friends he recorded in 2013.
In 2015, Kenny Rogers embarked on his Gambler’s Last Deal tour that was scheduled to continue through 2018, although some dates were canceled due to a series of health challenges.
On March 20, 2020, Rogers died at the age of 81.
A 75-year-old Kenny Rogers had a discussion with Mike Michalak before his appearance at the 2014 Hodag Country Festival.