BMO’s NEWS’eum – Today in 1984, Kenny Rogers was at #1 on the country album charts with Greatest Hits, which featured three singles that were not included on any of Rogers’ studio albums: “Lady” (written and produced specifically for Rogers by Lionel Richie), “Love The World Away” (a top five country and top 20 pop hit that was featured on the soundtrack of the box-office smash Urban Cowboy) and “Long Arm of the Law”. This was also Rogers’ third #1 album of the year. (the other two being Kenny and Gideon).
Lionel Richie tells the funniest story about how the song was written and when as it was told to BMO that Lionel actually was invited to see Kenny perform and was approached by Kenny for a new single that he could put on his greatest hits. Lionel said that it sounded like a wonderful opportunity and when Kenny told Lionel the expected sales for the project, Lionel had to be on board. Kenny asked if Lionel had anything he was currently working on and Lionel mentioned he had approached The Commodores about a song idea, but the band turned it down. Kenny asked how it went to which Lionel replied “Lady…..” Kenny asked if there was more to it than simply “Lady” and Lionel replied yes. ducking into Kenny’s bathroom in his penthouse suite…Lionel wrote in 5 minutes, the largest selling song in Kenny’s career. The two re-recorded it before Kenny’s death and it appears on Lionel Richie’s Country album called “Tuskegee”. #RIPKennyRogers #LionelRichie #BMOintheMOrning #Kicks967
