Shorty Rogers 72, of Kimberling City, Mo., passed away on Friday, March 17, 2017. He was born Feb. 24, 1945 in Dodd City, Ark., to Eldo and Nellie Rogers, and was the second youngest of a large, blended family.
At a young age, Shorty Rogers traded his baseball glove for a guitar, the first step to becoming an accomplished career musician and an integral part of the country music scene in the Ozarks. He started as part of Townhouse Lounge house band in Springfield, Mo., in the 1970s, played and recorded with numerous bands in Kansas City during the early years, and even did a USO Tour with a soul music group.
He joined the Ozark Jubilee televised show in the late 1970s, which was seen in the Ozarks on KY-3 TV, and crossed the country on tour.
After the Ozark Jubilee, Rogers played bass guitar for some of the area’s biggest country music shows through the decades: Presley’s Country Jubilee, the Mickey Gilley Show and Jim Owen show in Branson, and Warren Stokes’ Country Revue and the Pine Mountain Jamboree in Eureka Springs. Rogers also worked with country legend Buck Trent, wrote music and did session work for several Branson artists.
Throughout his life in show business, Rogers was known for his dedication and good-natured demeanor, making friends in Eureka Springs, Branson and across the country. He retired from the music scene in the 2000s, finding joy in his family and his favorite team, the World Series Champions Kansas City Royals.
Rogers is survived by his devoted wife, Huetta Rogers; loving children Danny Rogers, Lisa Rogers-Davenport, Angie Rogers-Langston and Scott Rogers, along with their spouses; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sister Carma Sims, and brother Donald Rogers.
The family asks that friends and fans remember his legacy by donating to the American Cancer Society.