He kicked off his set with “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” where everybody was singing along, and it was met with a warm reception. It was great to hear country songstress Linda Davis sing “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” and he took his fans “Through the Years” with a memorable performance of the song.
Equally bittersweet was “You Decorated My Life” and “She Believes in Me.” The witty “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” was a great deal of fun. There was an equal balance between holiday songs and his classic country hits.
Linda Davis was cheery on “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and they were delightful on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” duet, which they performed sitting on stools. It was followed by “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and the powerhouse “O Holy Night.” Davis did a superb job with Rogers on “Mary, Did You Know?”
“This is the song that changed everything for me,” he said, prior to singing “Lucille,” where the audience was singing along the chorus with him. “Coward of the County” was another remarkable and timeless performance from Rogers’ lengthy musical catalog.
Davis and Rogers were marvelous on Bob Seger’s “We’ve Got Tonight.” The highlight vocal of the evening was that of his signature tune, “The Gambler,” which he sang as scenes from The Gambler film series played on the giant televised screen.
“You Can’t Make Old Friends” was a heartfelt song that she performed solo, without his duet partner Dolly Parton. “You guys are very special to me,” he told his fans. He closed with “Blaze of Glory,” which was a fitting way to tell Westbury his moving farewell.
The Verdict
Overall, Kenny Rogers was able to strike his last deal at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Long Island, a venue he called home for his Christmas shows for well over three decades. Linda Davis was fabulous, as always. His live show garnered an A rating, as it was filled with nostalgia.
