Don Henley is one of the many devoted fans mourning the loss of Kenny Rogers, but his connection to "The Gambler" was a deep one that played a pivotal role in his own career.
Before Henley was singing and drumming in the Eagles, he was in a band called Shiloh. Rogers not only signed the act (to Amos Records) shortly after meeting them in 1969, but produced its first album and brought them to Los Angeles, where Henley met Glenn Frey and his future bandmates.
Following Rogers' passing on Friday (March 20) at the age of 81, Henley reflected on how he was "a wise mentor to so many of us," and the impact he had on Henley's musical journey, in a statement provided to Billboard. "Fifty years ago, The Gambler took a gamble on me and my first band
Read more on billboard.com