Rollin' On The River

Synopsis

Rollin' On The River 1971-72 - (Rollin 1972-73) was a Canadian Music Variety Series hosted by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition. They were the first pop-rock group to host their own prime-time TV series. - 53 episodes x 60 min - Featured guests included: Tina Turner, Merle Haggard, Bo Diddley, April Wine, Bill Withers, The Raiders, Cheech & Chong, The Stampeders, Bruce Cockburn, The Grass Roots, The Five Man Electrical Band, Lighthouse, Climax, Billy Preston, Jim Croce, Kris Kristofferson, Jose Feliciano, Mac Davis, Ronnie Hawkins, John Kay, Chilliwack, Looking Glass, The James Gang, The Poppy Family, Ian & Sylvia, Pat Paulsen, Helen Reddy, Andy Kim, John Stewart and many others. *Note: The series was an hour long in Canada. In the U.S. it was only half an hour, and Canadian talents were excised from the show for prime-time viewing.

First Air Date: 1971-02-13

Last Air Date: 1973-03-05

Number of Seasons: 2

Number of Episodes: 39

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Kenny Rogers as Host
The First Edition as N/A
Ronnie Hawkins as N/A
Cheech Marin as N/A
Tommy Chong as N/A
Jim Croce as N/A
Billy Preston as N/A
Bo Diddley as N/A
Al Green as N/A
Edgar Winter as N/A

Seasons

Season 1 (1971)

A variety hour hosted by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Rollin' On The River (Pilot) (1971-02-13)

Guests Al Hirt, Pat Paulsen and Diane Brooks with thirteen songs and a number of comedy sketches. Highlights: Dianne Brooks sings "Twenty-five Or Six To Four". Dianne and Kenny Rogers duet on "Something." Al Hirt and Kenny Rogers and The First Edition give renditions of "Proud Mary" and "Down By The Riverside." Hirt offers "Tin Roof Blues" and "Jazz Me Blues." Other highlights of the trip include Rogers and The First Edition doing "Heed the Call", "Ruby Talk", and "Camptown Races". Hirt and Rogers do "Night Life". Paulsen and Hirt do a thing called "Hirts-Rent-A-Horn" and Paulsen issues one of his jawbreaking monologues. The hour closes with the entire cast giving their all for a rousing rendition of "Mississippi".
Ep. 2: [Premiere] (1971-09-11)

Guests The Carpenters Al Hirt Mark Lindsay New Doodletown Pipers Patchett & Tarses.
Ep. 3: Episode 3 (1971-09-18)

Guests Tommy Smothers Ian and Sylvia (folk duo) Billy Van (comedian)
Ep. 4: Episode 4 (1971-09-25)

Guests The Poppy Family Alex Harvey (singer-songwriter)
Ep. 5: Episode 5 (1971-10-02)

Guests Merle Haggard Dianne Brooks. Highlights: Songs include, "Okie from Muskogee," "Lonesome Fugitive," "Fire and Rain" and "I Had a Ball."
Ep. 6: Episode 6 (1971-10-09)

Guests Freddy Weller Mark Lindsay Beverly Glenn-Copeland The Raiders.
Ep. 7: Episode 7 (1971-10-16)

Guests Kris Kristofferson Terri Jacks of The Poppy Family. Highlights: Kris Kristofferson sings "Lovin' Her Was Easier." Other songs include "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Can't Buy Me Love."
Ep. 8: Episode 8 (1971-10-23)

Guests Jason Robards Sid Caesar Dianne Brooks (singer) Highlights: Jason Robards joins in a silent movie spoof. Jason Robards also read Mark Twain's "The War Prayer" and shows clips from his movie "Fools". Songs include, "Tell It All Brother" and "Old Mojave Highway."
Ep. 9: Episode 9 (1971-10-30)

Guests Roger Miller Tobi Lark David Willen Roger Miller performs "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" and "Me and Bobby McGee."
Ep. 10: Episode 10 (1971-11-06)

Guests B.B. King Rosemary Radcliffe (comedian) Don Cullen (comedian) Edward and Harding.
Ep. 11: Episode 11 (1971-11-13)

Guests Gladys Knight and the Pips Bruce Coburn Trudy Desmond (from Dr. Music)
Ep. 12: Episode 12 (1971-11-20)

Guests George Kirby Dee Higgins Tobi Lark (Canadian singer)
Ep. 13: Episode 13 (1971-11-27)

Guests: Tony Joe White June Amato Billy Van.