After having his older children, the iconic musician once felt no desire to become a father again. However, over time, his perspective changed. Later in life, he welcomed more children with his fifth wife and opened up about why he chose to embrace fatherhood again.
Kenny Rogers walked down the aisle five times throughout his life. His wives included Janice Gordon, Jean Rogers, Margo Anderson, Marianne Gordon, and Wanda Miller. Each relationship marked a different chapter in his journey, with family playing an important role in many of them.
After receiving major honors — among them, three Grammy Awards and several Academy of Country Music trophies — Rogers chose to leave the spotlight. The singer-songwriter stepped away from performing to spend more time with those he loved most. Meet his children, each born during a different time in his life.
Carole Lynne Rogers
Kenny became a father for the first time in September 1958. He welcomed his daughter, Carole, with his first wife, Janice Gordon. The couple had married just a few months earlier, in May of that year. In a candid interview, he shared how quickly life changed for him:
“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.”
Marianne Gordon, Carol, Kenny Sr., Kenny Jr. and Christopher Rogers attend the 12th Annual People’s Choice Awards on March 11, 1986, in Santa Monica, California. | Source: Getty Images
Reflecting on his past, the award-winning Texas native added, “You can’t say I’m afraid of commitment. I’ve been married five times!” As his career began to soar, personal ties quietly shifted.
Kenny and Gordon went their separate ways in April 1960. With the demands of his growing music career, time with Carole became limited. By 1980, reports revealed that the star had been granted just two hours of visitation per week with his daughter.
When asked whether he remained in contact with Carole, Kenny shared that he had chosen to step back out of respect for her family’s wishes. He had promised to be her father in name, while allowing her stepfather to take on the role of Dad.
The music icon acknowledged that the man entered Carole’s life during a difficult time and embraced the responsibility with care and love. He expressed deep appreciation for the role the man played, calling him a good guy.
Kenny Rogers Jr.
In 1963, Kenny married Margo Anderson, his third wife, who was already a mother to a daughter named Shannon. The following year, in May, they welcomed a son together — Kenny Jr.
Kenny Sr. and Kenny Rogers, Jr. attend the 12th Annual People’s Choice Awards on March 11, 1986, in Santa Monica, California. | Source: Getty Images
However, the marriage did not last. The couple divorced in 1975, and Anderson later settled in Palm Springs with their son. In the years after their split, the celebrity’s connection with Kenny Jr. became strained. Reflecting on their distant bond in a 1980 interview, he shared:
“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.”
Kenny Jr. and Kenny Rogers Sr. visit “Extra” at Universal Studios Hollywood on October 3, 2013, in Universal City, California. | Source: Getty Images
The “Through the Years” singer recognized how his ambition affected those closest to him. Kenny shared that he had been absent during key moments with two wives and two children, and while he regretted the pain it caused, he knew it couldn’t be undone.
Christopher Cody Rogers
Kenny married his fourth wife, Janice Gordon, in October 1977. Four years later, in December 1981, the pair welcomed their son, Christopher, an actor and director. At first, the star described their relationship as a “perfect marriage.” However, things began to change after their child was born.
Kenny and Christopher Rogers attend 10th Annual American Music Awards on January 17, 1983, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
The “You and I” hitmaker shared in another interview that the change in their marriage was not anyone’s fault, specifically referring to Christopher. “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.
As time passed, their lives began to drift apart. Kenny noticed that after returning from tours or tennis events, their routines no longer aligned. Eventually, they agreed that life was too short to stay unhappy and decided to part ways.
Kenny, Marianne Gordon and Christopher Rogers pictured on January 1, 1990, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Though the marriage ended, Kenny stayed committed to fatherhood, recalling how breaking the news to Christopher left the young boy in tears, afraid he would lose his dad. Kenny reassured him that no matter what, he would always be there.
He also once 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)
Kenny married Wanda Miller, his fifth wife, in June 1997. Seven years later, at age 65, he became a father to identical twin sons, Jordan and Justin, born in July 2004. At first, he was unsure about having more children. Early in their relationship, both had agreed
The Hall of Famer realized it wouldn’t be fair to deny her the chance at motherhood. He said in an interview that the decision came after deep 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.
Becoming a father later in life brought concerns for him, especially knowing he might miss key moments in his sons’ futures. Yet the joy his twins brought him outweighed the worry. He felt closer to his wife than ever and believed fatherhood was his greatest role — even if it took five marriages to discover that.
Parenthood continued to shape Kenny’s later years in meaningful ways. When Jordan and Justin were nine, he visited the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center in Missouri and praised its mission to offer free therapy for children with special needs.
Wanda Miller, Justin, Jordan, and Kenny Rogers at the Classic Center on February 12, 2011, in Athens, Georgia. | Source: Getty Images
Keeping up with young kids was not easy for Kenny, who joked it felt more like “break” than “make,” yet he still called it a true gift. During his visit to the center, he shared that it had started in a small house with only a few children, offering free care to families. Grateful for his own sons’ good health, he found comfort knowing such a place was there for others in need.
Over time, Kenny cherished the simple moments with his boys. Calling fatherhood at his age “bling,” he joked about how they no longer expected him to keep up, knowing they could easily outrun him.
The father of five often spoke about how special it felt to raise identical twins, describing it as “the coolest thing.” Though they grew up surrounded by his fame, he doubted they fully understood its reach.
