Off The Record

Late Country Legend Kenny Rogers Was A Proud Dad Of Five — Including Twins Born At 65

Published on April 21, 2025

With his fifth wife, the legendary musician had further children. He had no desire to become a father again after raising his older children. But as time went on, his viewpoint evolved, and he eventually talked about the reasons behind his decision.

Throughout his life, Kenny Rogers experienced five marriages. Among his spouses were Wanda Miller, Marianne Gordon, Janice Gordon, and Margo Anderson. Family played a significant part in several of his relationships, each of which represented a distinct chapter in his path.

Rogers decided to step away from the limelight after winning numerous Academy of Country Music medals and three Grammy Awards, among other notable honors. To spend more time with his loved ones, the singer-songwriter took a break from performing. Meet his kids, each of whom was born at a distinct time in his life.

Carole Lynne Rogers

In September 1958, Kenny Rogers became a parent for the first time. He and Gordon, his first wife, welcomed a daughter, Carole. Only a few months prior, in May of that year, the couple had tied the knot. Kenny revealed in an open interview how rapidly his life changed:

“You know what? I loved her. At 19 I thought, ‘This is ok with me.’ That was a thing where her parents thought I’d ruined her life and were determined to break me. It didn’t work, and it’s really sad because I think it could have worked.”

“You can’t say I’m afraid of commitment,” the award-winning Texas native continued, looking back on his background. I have five marriages under my belt. His personal relationships subtly changed as his career took off.

In April of 1960, Kenny and Gordon parted ways. He had less time with Carole as his music career become more demanding. By 1980, accounts indicate that the celebrity could only spend two hours a week with his daughter.

In response to the question of whether he kept in touch with Carole, Kenny said he had decided to distance himself in order to honor her family’s wishes. He had agreed to be her legal father while letting her stepfather act as her biological father.

The legendary musician accepted the responsibility with compassion and care, acknowledging that the man had come into Carole’s life at a trying moment. He described the man as a good man and conveyed his profound gratitude for the role he played.

Kenny Rogers Jr.

Anderson, Kenny’s third wife, was already a mother to a daughter named Shannon when they were married in 1963. They welcomed a son together, Kenny Jr., on May 24, 1964, the next year.

But the marriage was short-lived. Following their 1975 divorce, Anderson and their son moved to Palm Springs. The celebrity’s relationship with Kenny Jr. deteriorated in the years following their breakup. In an interview from 1980, he reflected on their distant relationship and said:

“I would wish desperately that my relationship with Kenny Jr. were better.”

Though Kenny longed for a better relationship with his son, his rising career often pulled him away. Looking back, he admitted, “There’s a fine line between being driven and being selfish… I think I was selfish a lot.”

The “Through the Years” singer saw how his desire affected those closest to him. Kenny said he had been missing during critical periods with two spouses and two children, and while he regretted the anguish it caused, he realized it couldn’t be undone.

Christopher Cody Rogers

Kenny married his fourth wife, Gordon, in October 1977. They welcomed their son, Christopher, a filmmaker and actor, in December 1981, four years later. He initially referred to their union as a “perfect marriage.” But following the birth of their child, things started to shift.

The “You and I” hitmaker shared in another interview that the shift wasn’t anyone’s fault. “I wouldn’t want him to take any responsibility for this — because that’s when Marianne stopped touring with me and stayed home to take care of him,” he explained.

Their lives started to diverge over time. Kenny saw that their routines were out of sync once they returned from tennis tournaments or tours. They ultimately chose to separate ways after coming to the conclusion that life was too short to remain unhappy.

Despite the dissolution of his marriage, Kenny remained dedicated to being a father. He previously related how his son started crying when he told Christopher about the divorce. Losing his father was the boy’s greatest worry. Kenny told him that would never occur.

He also spoke about the importance of honesty in relationships and praised his former wife for supporting his new one. “Ex-wives can make current wives miserable, but Marianne doesn’t do that,” he said.

Jordan Edward and Justin Charles Rogers (Twins)

In June 1997, Kenny wed Miller, his sixth wife. He gave birth to identical twin sons, Jordan and Justin, in July 2004 at the age of 65, seven years later. He wasn’t sure if he wanted more kids at first. They had decided early on in their relationship not to have children. However, Miller’s and his hearts altered after he became 31.

The Hall of Famer understood that denying her the opportunity to become a mother would not be just. In a later interview, he revealed that he made the decision after giving it careful thought:

“I didn’t want her to wake up at 50 and me be dead and for her to have to say, ‘I wish I hadn’t married Kenny, I could have had kids.'”

When he learned they were expecting twins, Kenny was overjoyed. “It wasn’t just ‘We are going to have a baby.’ It was totally overwhelming,” he expressed.

Kenny was worried about missing important events in his sons’ futures because he became a father later in life. But he was more happy with his twins than worried. Even though it took him five marriages to realize that parenting was his greatest duty, he felt closer to his wife than ever before.

Kenny’s later years were significantly shaped by parenthood. He visited the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center in Missouri when Jordan and Justin were nine years old, and he commended the organization’s efforts to provide free therapy to kids with special needs.

He acknowledged that it was difficult to keep up with young children, describing it at times as more of a “break” than a “make,” but he described it as a genuine gift. Thinking back on the center, he said it started off as a modest home with a few kids and no fees for families. He expressed gratitude for the health of his own sons and remarked that knowing that there was a place like that for others brought him comfort.

As the years went by, Kenny discovered happiness in the ordinary times spent with his boys. Joking that they no longer expected him to keep up in an interview, he described fatherhood at his age as “bling,” even if they knew they could outrun him.

The father of five frequently discussed the unique experience of raising identical twins, referring to it as “the coolest thing.” He questioned whether they truly comprehended the scope of his renown, despite growing up surrounded by it.

Kenny decided to stop touring at the age of 77 because to his twins growing up quickly, and he ended his career with “The Gambler’s Last Deal.” He wanted to spend more time with his sons than he had with his older children since he believed he had done enough.

In 2016, with an eye on the future, he organized family vacations throughout Asia and Europe in the hopes that his sons would one day recall, “My dad took me there.” As time passed, the significance of those trip arrangements and peaceful times spent with his boys only grew. At the age of 81, Kenny died quietly at home in March 2020. A family representative said the cause was natural.

When his kids Jordan and Justin graduated from high school three years later, in June 2023, they accomplished a personal milestone. Jordan and Justin, both 19 years old, talked about how they remember their father a month after graduating.

Jordan continues to cling to Kenny’s counsel, “Just be yourself. You’re hilarious.” Additionally, they have continued their “Super Saturdays” custom, frequently going back to the same table they used to share with Chuck E. Cheese.

Their weekly tradition is just one of many ways they stay connected to Kenny. Justin shared, “I miss everything about him,” adding:

“He was a really fun dad.”

In “Catchin’ Grasshoppers,” a song from Miller’s posthumous album “Life Is Like a Song,” Kenny documented events with his twins. When Jordan first heard it, he started crying. Jordan took up drumming, and Justin studied guitar after being inspired by their father. They especially like “Coward of the County,” “The Gambler,” and “Love Will Turn You Around.”

Looking ahead, the twins decided to take a year off to consider their options. When their mother Miller notices Kenny doing commonplace motions, such putting their hands in their pockets or behind their backs, she frequently remarks, “That was your dad’s look.”

As a chart-topping icon, a loving father, and somebody who never stopped learning what love meant, Kenny Rogers had many lives. Despite his passing, his legacy, ideals, and voice live on in his children’s lives.

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