Celebrity auctioneer gears up for Kenny Rogers sale

Hodson Bay's auctioneer to the stars Martin J Nolan is gearing up for a major three-day sale where a huge amount of property from the estate of singing legend and actor, Kenny Rogers, in the autumn.

LA-based Julien's Auctions, where the Kiltoom man is Executive Director and CFO, will put 1,200 lots under the hammer from the Grammy-award winning singer's eventful life and career on October 21 to 23 in Beverly Hills and online.

Among the collection of items for sale includes the country and pop music icon’s awards, wardrobe, equipment and memorabilia from his iconic recordings, live performances and films, as well as furnishings, artwork, jewelry, household and personal items from his beloved home in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

Rogers, one of the best-selling musical artists of all time who sold more than 120 million records worldwide, died on March 20, 2020 aged 81. He is best known for his hits 'Lucille' 'Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town', a duet with Dolly Parton 'Islands in the Stream' and most famed of all 'The Gambler' which became Rogers’ signature story song, persona and one of his five consecutive hit singles to go to No 1 on Billboard’s Country Music chart.

It was also a multiple-genre smash hit making the Top 10 across the pop and easy listening charts which earned him his second GRAMMY Award and a CMA Award for Song of the Year in 1980. The popularity of the song led to the production of five television movies starring Rogers as 'The Gambler'.

“Kenny Rogers connected millions of people around the world with his distinctive voice, boundary transcending chart toppers, indelible performances and universally loved personality,” said Martin J Nolan, Executive Director/CFO of Julien’s Auctions who hails from Hodson Bay, Kiltoom, and is a frequent visitor home.

Rogers is one of the few music artists who has charted a song from the 1950s - 2010s, closing out his career with of a farewell tour, The Gambler’s Last Deal, in 2018.

“His classic hits ‘Lucille,’ ‘Islands in the Stream,’ and ‘The Gambler’ are part of the great American music canon and serve as cornerstones of his distinguished legacy as a global superstar, pop culture icon and one of the most successful cross-over artists of all time who helped propel country music to the mainstream. We are honoured to work with the Kenny Rogers Estate in offering this exclusive collection featuring hundreds of his most cherished artifacts and personal mementos amassed throughout his groundbreaking six-decade career,” Mr Nolan commented.

A prolific photographer throughout his life, Kenny Rogers captured many of the big celebrities of the day, including Dolly Parton, Clint Eastwood and even Ronald Reagan. A portrait of Lucille Ball, signed by her which will be put under the hammer with an estimate of €2,000 to €3,000. The inscription simply says: “Dear Kenny, Loved doing this with you-/ Lucy."

Other eye-catching items include an 'Islands in the Stream' gold digital sales award award presented to the singer. This glossy piano black framed poster featuring Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton is paired with a copy of the lyrics to the song 'Islands in the Stream,' a gold-coloured record has an estimate of €500 to €700.

One of the most expensive items going under the hammer is 'We Are the World' signed soloist lead sheets, with a €20,000 to €40,000 estimate. It comes as a framed group of signed soloist leadsheets from the charity single 'We Are the World" performed by the supergroup USA for Africa in an effort to raise funds for African famine relief, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Cyndi Lauper.

Various awards the singer won during his long career will also feature in the auction this October, along with some unique pieces, like a fan-made 'The Gambler' Moose stuffed animal is offered for sale with a sales estimate of €200 to €300, This unique stuffed animal's body is fashioned out of a used pair of 'The Gambler' brand jeans that feature an embroidery of playing cards on the front and an embroidery of Kenny Rogers.

For more information about the upcoming auction, see the juliensauctions.com website.