One Week Remains to See “Through The Years” Exhibit Showcasing Diversity of Kenny Rogers’ Talents

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Photo Courtesy of The Estate of Kenneth Ray Rogers - Provided by UHM

Only one week left to see “Through The Years: Kenny Rogers’ Photographs of America,” the exhibit that showcases the extraordinary talent of this legendary singer-songwriter in an exclusive display of his work as a photographer.

Kenny Rogers. The man. The music. The photographs? Yes, this legendary singer-songwriter also had quite the talent as a photographer, and the Upcountry History Museum is proud to be only the second museum in the country to host “Through The Years: Kenny Rogers’ Photographs of America.”

Beyond his music and the stage was his camera and America’s landscapes. Crisscrossing the country while touring with his band, Rogers would take time to also focus on his photography interest. The result created a portfolio of photographs of North America, its celebrities, and its working people. “Through The Years” features 60 of his stunning color and black and white photographs that shed new light on the seriousness of Rogers’ pursuit to turn his hobby into another outlet for his creative abilities.

Photography gave Rogers an artistic outlet apart from the fast-paced life of an entertainer. This unique exhibition showcases his distinctive talent as a photographer, his appreciation of photography as an artform, and, as he once said, how “it has opened up a whole new way of seeing the world around me.”

From his first efforts with a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera in the mid-1960s through his dedicated quest to hone his skill, Rogers became a respected photographer, receiving an Honorary Master of Photography degree from the Professional Photographers of America in 2014 and the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum in 2017. He also published three books of his photography in 1986, 1987, and 2001.

“Through The Years: Kenny Rogers’ Photographs of America” was organized by The Estate of Kenneth Ray Rogers. In addition to his remarkable photographs, the exhibition will include some artifacts from Rogers’ performances at Clemson University’s Littlejohn Coliseum, as well as photos of his 2014 performance in Greenville by tour photographer Randy Dorman.

“Through The Years” is on display through Sunday, June 18, 2023

The Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00-5:00 p.m.; closed Monday.