caption associated_acts years_active label article_title past_members background genre image origin name
promotional in early 1968 photo of kenny rogers and the first edition the new christy minstrels 1967 -- 1976 -lrb- reunions : 2010 -rrb- reprise , jolly rogers kenny rogers and the first edition
 kenny camacho mary arnold kin vassy jimmy hassell john hobbs gene rogers lorenzo mickey jones terry williams mike settle thelma group_or_band rock , psychedelic rock , country rock thefirstedition.jpg california kenny rogers and the first edition
kenny rogers and the first edition

kenny rogers and the first edition , previously named the first edition , was a rock and roll-based band , who also performed r&b , folk music , and country music .
its stalwart members were kenny rogers -lrb- lead vocals and bass guitar -rrb- , mickey jones -lrb- drums and percussion -rrb- and terry williams -lrb- guitar and vocals -rrb- .
the band formed in 1967 , with folk musician mike settle -lrb- guitar and backing vocals -rrb- and the operatically trained thelma camacho completing the lineup .
as the 1960s counterculture was heating up , the first edition signed with reprise records in the summer of 1967 and had its first big hit in early 1968 with the pop-psychedelic single `` just dropped in -lrb- to see what condition my condition was in -rrb- '' -lrb- us no. 5 -rrb- .
after only one more chart hit , `` but you know i love you '' -lrb- us no. 19 -rrb- , the group , newly billed as `` kenny rogers and the first edition '' , once again hit the top ten , this time in the summer of 1969 with the topical `` ruby , do n't take your love to town '' -lrb- us no. 6 , uk no. 2 -rrb- .
for the next six years , first edition bounced between country rock , pop and mild psychedelia , enjoying worldwide success .
