By now, Kenny Rogers has become such an icon that it’s easy to forget how he got there. The songs on 42 Ultimate Hits, bringing together the top songs of his career from the late 60s First Edition years up to his current return to the charts, offers a crash-course reminder that Rogers is a star because he excels at his craft.

Just look at the titles: “Lady,” “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” “The Gambler,” “She Believes in Me,” “Islands in the Stream,” “We’ve Got Tonight,” “Buy Me A Rose.” Not a ditty among them. Then listen. The sweetly raspy vocals are instantly identifiable as Kenny Rogers - he sounds like nobody else. More importantly, he inhabits each song, making it vivid and tangible. For more than five decades, Rogers has delivered memorable songs, drawing fans among rock, pop, soul and country audiences.

When one singer makes such an indelible mark, that’s not mere luck or even simple talent. “I really, really love what I’m doing,” Rogers says. “People survive longer if they love what they’re doing. Because you just don’t quit.”

“I’ve always been like a boomerang.” Rogers says. “You can throw me away, but you can rest assured that I’m coming back. It’s not necessarily about success for me. It’s not about being the biggest star in the world. I think for all intents and purposes, if you go back to the peak of my career, I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish. To do that again doesn’t excite me. But to just be there and to be a force and have people care about what you’re recording, that’s the greatest gift you can have.”