He just keeps barreling ahead

Kenny Rogers is proud of his 50-year career, but he hopes that the best is yet to come.

“For me, the whole goal is to stay relevant as long as I can,” says Rogers, whose career retrospective, “Kenny Rogers: 50 Years,” came out Tuesday exclusively through Cracker Barrel restaurants.

While the 12-track CD includes hits such as “Lucille” and “The Gambler,” it also features three new songs.

“It’s one thing to still be doing it, but to still have your records played on the radio and to have contemporary success, that’s what’s exciting,” he says.

Rogers, 70, became a superstar in the 1970s and ’80s. His career cooled in the ’90s, but he continues to have hits.

His 2006 album, “Water & Bridges,” charted three songs, including the No. 14 “I Can’t Unlove You.”

He’s working on material for a new album.

“I’ve always been a country singer with a lot of influences,” says Rogers, who played jazz, folk and rock before hitting his stride with a country-pop sound, “and I think that’s helped me because I can do a variety of songs.”

Swept off his feet

Vince Gill didn’t need coaxing to record tracks for a new CD featuring classics by influential ’70s group Little Feat.

“Since I was about 18 or 19 they’ve been my favorite band,” says Gill, who joined the likes of Dave Matthews, Brooks & Dunn, Bob Seger, Brad Paisley, Jimmy Buffett and Emmylou Harris for “Little Feat and Friends: Join the Band,” released Tuesday.

The group disbanded when frontman Lowell George died in 1979, but later re-formed.

Heard but not seen

Despite all the speculation, Britney Spears won’t perform on this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, her manager says.

“She’s in the middle of recording her next album, which is going amazingly well, and her focus remains on the studio,” says Larry Rudolph of Jive Records.

Spears’ attempted comeback was the talk of last year’s VMA, and she appears in spots promoting this year’s ceremony.

Good Benji

Paris Hilton says boyfriend Benji Madden, the Good Charlotte guitarist, has written some songs for her next album.

“He’s a really amazing talent, songwriter and singer,” she says.

Asked if he will sing a duet with her, she says “yes, definitely” – when her new reality show, “Paris Hilton’s My New BFF,” comes out.

Long arm of the in-laws

Amy Winehouse’s mother-in-law says the troubled British singer belongs behind bars.

“Prison will do Amy far more good than rehab,” Georgette Civil says.

“The police know Amy is a drug addict – and she has now been caught twice on film taking illegal drugs.”

The birthday bunch

Musician Daryl Dragon (Captain and Tennille) is 66. Actress Tuesday Weld is 65. Actress Barbara Bach is 61. Actor Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) is 56. Actress Chandra Wilson (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 39. Actress Sarah Chalke (“Scrubs”) is 32. Singer Mario is 22. Actress Alexa Vega (“Spy Kids”) is 20.