Kenny Rogers Proposed to His Wife, Wanda Miller, in an Unexpected Way
Kenny Rogers wasn’t shy about the love he had for his wife, Wanda Miller. Here’s the unexpected way the country singer proposed marriage.
Kenny Rogers was happy he didn’t date Wanda Miller at the height of his career
In his book Luck or Something Like It, Rogers revealed he was happy he didn’t meet Miller earlier in his career. He said his career kept him so busy he wouldn’t have had time to nurture the relationship. He admitted his marriages took a backseat when his career was at its peak, so he was happy he met Miller at a time when things weren’t so chaotic.
Wanda wasn’t there for the peak of my success, and in some ways that’s good. At that stage of a career there is no downtime. It’s just go here, go there, and try to keep up. It’s great fun and very rewarding for the artist but damaging for a relationship.
As I said earlier in this book, there is a fine line between being driven and being selfish. I have no doubt that because success was so important to me, I crossed that line more than once. Wanda actually came along at the best time for us. She missed the wave but caught the crest afterward.
Kenny Rogers in ‘Luck or Something Like It’
How Kenny Rogers proposed to Wanda Miller
Rogers decided to propose to Miller in an unexpected way. Back in 1996 while he was staying at the Aladdin Hotel for a New Year’s Eve show in Las Vegas, he decided to pop the question. Rogers said he asked Miller to be his wife during a meal at a coffee shop.
So, at ten thirty that night, just before the show, in the coffee shop, with Tonia; Jim Mazza and his wife, Val; and my friend Kelly Junkermann at the table, I literally got down on one knee and asked, ‘Wanda Miller, will you marry me?’
I think everyone at the table was dumbfounded, not so much that I had proposed, but the fact I had chosen this way to do so. It was so out of character for me to do anything like this in public. I wanted her to know she was that special to me.
Kenny Rogers in ‘Luck or Something Like It’
Miller and Rogers were married the following year on June 1, 1997. They honeymooned in the Caribbean.
The paparazzi wouldn’t stay away from Kenny Rogers and his new wife
The paparazzi were always around while Rogers and Miller were dating, and they were around for the couple’s big day. Rogers said there were tabloids waiting for the perfect picture. Protesters who were angry about his chicken business also came around.
Outside, overhead, the tabloid helicopters were whirling around to get their shots, while outside the gates, a crowd had gathered, including some fans and, of all things, some protesters.
This was at a time when I had Kenny Rogers Roasters chicken franchises all over the country. Two people in the group had dressed in chicken outfits with signs that read KENNY KILLS CHICKENS. What a sight that must have been.
Kenny Rogers in ‘Luck or Something Like It’
Read more: Kenny Rogers Had a Tough Time Winning Over His Wife’s Parents
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