Now, Kenny Rogers is a real bassist, but all the First Edition bass parts were done by Joe Osborn.
Back when I was in high school in Houston, Kenneth (as he was known then) was playing upright and electric bass and singing harmony with the Bobby Doyle Three, a jazz/pop combo. They had a regular gig at a club near the Shamrock Hilton. They also did some touring and put out an album and at least one single that got local airplay. Bobby was a blind pianist who later settled in Austin.
Before that, he had a local hit with this, written by local country singer Ray Doggett.
The First Edition was never as good after Thelma Camacho left. I had a crush on her 50 years ago. I read an article about her a few years back, she was a craft jeweler in san Diego.