Kenny Rogers tied the knot five times in his lifetime, eventually passing on in the company of his fifth wife Wanda Miller.
For many, Kenny Rogers was a country music legend who gave the world some of the best classics. However, to his wife and kids, he was a great dad, husband, and pillar whose loss would leave a mark.
Despite the sad loss at 81, knowing he died surrounded by those he loved, including a beautiful wife, offered some form of consolation. But his love life was not always a smooth ride.
His quest for love and companionship saw him marry five women throughout his 81 years on earth. His last and final marriage was to Wanda Miller, mother of his two youngest kids.
Kenny Rogers once opened up about his previous marriages and how each ended prematurely. According to him, he had himself to blame for disconnecting with his partners each time and ultimately leading to divorce.
Notwithstanding, he loved each of them dearly, irrespective of the outcome of their relationships. He once said of his wives:
“Every woman I married, I really loved when I married her. And I don’t blame them for the marriage falling apart. I blame myself and my chosen field of music. That’s why I say that music is a mistress because you can’t wait to get out there to it.”
Thankfully, after a tumultuous love ride, he eventually found the one in Miller, to whom he was married for fifteen years before death came calling.
Like his widow, most of Rogers’ previous spouses were also distraught by his demise, taking to various platforms to pay him tribute. This only proves the actor made a point of leaving each one on a good note to keep his family at ease.
So who are the wives of Kenny Rogers and what do we know about their lives since becoming involved with him?
Who Were Kenny Rogers’ Wives?
Kenny Rogers had five wives, including Marianne Gordon, Margo Anderson, Jean Rogers, Janice Gordon, and Wanda Miller. His five marriages yielded five children, who are all grown up and carrying on their dad’s legacy.
1. Janice Gordon
Kenny Rogers met his first wife Janice Gordon when he was only a teenager. The two began dating, with Gordon eventually conceiving his first child, to the disappointment of her parents who believed the singer ruined their daughter’s life.
The then-teenagers eventually tied the knot in 1958, when Rogers was only nineteen. They soon welcomed a daughter named Carole Lynne. Sadly the couple split in 1960, after only two years in marriage.
Following their divorce, Gordon moved on to a new partner, making Rogers promise to have limited contact with their daughter.
2. Kenny Rogers’ Second Wife Jean Rogers
Shortly after his marriage to Gordon ended, Kenny Rogers moved on to his second-wife Jean Rogers. The pair exchanged vows that same year, beginning their life of marital bliss.
After only three years together, their marriage hit rock bottom, leading to their divorce in 1963. The country singer attributed their failed marriage to the realization that their union “wasn’t right,” and only spelled boredom for both of them. They had no kids together.
3. Margo Anderson, Rogers’ Third wife
In 1964, Kenny Rogers walked down the aisle a third time when he married Margo Anderson. Their union was blessed with a son, Kenny Rogers’ Junior before the duo hit a rough patch.
Rogers and Anderson remained married until 1976. Speaking on their twelve-year union, Rogers once divulged:
“So then I met this girl and that was a really exciting relationship, which lasted twelve years. And out of its shelter, the first nine years were as good as it gets. And it was only the last few that got ugly.”
Going further, the crooner explained how his career got in the way, saying touring a lot at the time killed his marriage.
4. Marianne Gordon
One year after his divorce from Anderson, Kenny Rogers found love with actress Marianne Gordon, his fourth wife. They tied the knot in 1977 and continued in marital bliss for nearly two decades.
The pair eventually went their separate ways in 1993, with Gordon attributing their failed marriage to “Rogers’ mid-life crisis.” The couple had one son together called Christopher Rogers.
5. Wanda Miller
Kenny Rogers and his fifth and final spouse crossed paths in the nineties, fell in love, and eventually got married in 1997. Despite their 28 years age gap, the couple managed to sustain their marriage until his death in 2020.
Their union yielded twin sons, Justin and Jordan, born in 2004. The boys, now teenagers, remain Kenny Rogers’ youngest kids and enjoy life in the spotlight throughout their growing phase. They accompanied their dad to numerous events during his lifetime as he snagged numerous accolades and solidified himself as a music legend.