Music review: Kenny Rogers

At the age of 78 and with a knee problem which kept him confined to a barstool for most of the show, Kenny Rogers can be forgiven his decision to retire in favour of spending more time with his wife and children.

Kenny Rogers headlining at the SSE Hydro. Picture: Peter Kaminski

Glasgow Hydro ***

With the tour subtitled The Gambler’s Last Deal and an air of finality to the song choices, the show felt as much a ceremonial farewell as an evocation of Rogers at his best.

An array of undoubted favourites were here, including Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love, Lucille (which was rousingly taken over by the crowd), Coward of the County, Daytime Friends and Islands in the Stream, with Linda Davis taking vocals on behalf of Rogers’ many female duet partners.

These include Dolly Parton, of course, and the late Dottie West, who was paid affectionate tribute to here; yet Rogers delivered the perhaps surprising news that his favourite of all was We’ve Got Tonight, which he originally performed with Sheena Easton.

Go out on a high and leave them wanting more, runs the old showbiz maxim, and that was certainly the spirit of the closing Blaze of Glory. Kenny Rogers has had many highs.

Dave Pollock