I recently came across a copy of Kenny Rogers' 1978 book, "Making It With Music." Up until now, I think I've always gotten him confused with Kenny Loggins. Never again...

Rogers is an incredible businessman. His whole career is a series of very calculated moves: do something while it's hot, and then ditch it when it gets old. (Did you know that the New Christy Minstrels were TV pioneers, when Rogers was in the band?) It's a different schtick every few years.

A earlier reader has gone through and underlined some key words. Like "drummer," "bass guitarist," and "guitarist" in a passage describing what instrumentation you're going to need to play the rock n' roll. Eeeeeeeee. I sincerely hope that he or she was 12 or younger at the time.

"Making It"? What the hell? I thought that meant sex in the '70s. Success? SUCCESS? What IS that? What is this book about?

In the "Fame" chapter (how to deal with your stardom), Rogers tell us why he does what he does. His goal of "long-term success and financial independence.... stems from a nightmare I had as an impoverished child, in which I saw myself as an old man, abjectly broke, and lonely."

Well, we're all gonna get old (and that's if we're lucky). And the fame and money don't really help with the lonely part. So that's one out of three.

Or at least as far as I read. I couldn't take the whole thing. And I still couldn't get "The Gambler" out of my head for days.