1 minute read
GROWING BOLDER WITH
GROWING BOLDER WITH
Kenny
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Loggins
73
Few artists enjoyed more success in the 1970s and ’80s than Kenny Loggins. From his mega-hits for movies, such as “Caddyshack” and “Top Gun,” to “Celebrate Me Home,” his songs and sound defined a generation. In the process, he picked up an Oscar nomination for his iconic “Footloose,” two Grammy Awards and nine nominations.
In the 1990s, while in the middle of raising his children, he found himself tired of the same old, not-so-great kids’ songs. He had an idea to record an album of music that children and their parents could enjoy together, so he turned to an old friend – Winnie the Pooh. “Return to Pooh Corner,” featuring original songs, as well as covers of songs by artists, such as John Lennon and Paul Simon, sold more than 500,000 copies and earned Loggins a Grammy nomination.
That success, though, wasn’t enough to guard him against the brutality of his business.
“When I was 50, Sony Records, my home since I was 21, dropped me. That was devastating. It was like being fired without knowing why or where I was supposed to go,” he told Growing Bolder.
Loggins quickly realized that sailing off into the sunset wasn’t for him.
“I realized I am one of those people who must write every day and stay creative, or I’ll be depressed,” he said. “So, I dug into my savings and recorded an album that no one ever heard because I couldn’t afford to market it the way record companies do. It taught me that I need to stay active, and part of that is learning to use new technologies and to adapt.”
These days, he’s still recording music, touring (when shows aren’t canceled by the pandemic) and taking his own advice on adapting. In recent years, he released a children’s book titled, “Footloose,” which reimagines his classic song as a wild day at the zoo.
“I’m having much more fun now than I did in my 30s or 40s,” he said. “There’s no one way to do this life; but I try to teach my children to believe that if they follow their hearts, they can make a living at it and find happiness. My advice? Follow the fun.”
Theo Wargo / Staff via Getty Images
