Kenny Rogers – HuffPost 5.19.14

Mike Ragogna: What is your advice for new artists?

Kenny Rogers: Pay your taxes on time and put twenty percent aside. That’s it. If you’re going into it for the money, don’t get into it. The money only comes after years of unrewarded effort. I think that if you go into it because it’s what you want to do… My mom gave me the greatest advice when I was young. She said, “Son, always be happy where you are. Never be content to be there but if you’re not happy with where you are, you’ll never be happy.” It really worked for me. When I was at the low point of my career, when First Edition was breaking up, I was still happy. “Hey, I’m still making music, what do I need?” I think that’s what my advice would be. Assuming you have some talent going into it, stay true to yourself, because I’m a believer that we’re all three people–I’m who I think I am, I’m who you think I am, and I’m who I really am. Now, the question is, how close are those three together? When you look at the people who have survived, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, they are who they say they are. That’s how the longevity comes in.