With his gray hair slightly longish in the back and red-gray beard, Dave Millet resembles Kenny Rogers in his pre-goatee days.

But it's Millet's voice that gets people thinking that the originator of "The Gambler" and "Coward of the County" is in the room singing to them.

Millet will perform at Mercer County Disabilities Coalition's "A Night of Country and Comedy" at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Farrell Area High School auditorium.

Millet started singing a tribute to Rogers about 10 years ago, but his singing career started on a fluke when he won a Rogers' sound-alike contest.

Although he was not singing professionally before then, people who had heard Millet sing said he sounded like Rogers.

Millet, 52, of Erie, said he didn't think anything of it until he entered the competition in Buffalo, which was judged by Rogers' brother, Randy.

Kenny Rogers heard Millet sing and the two appeared together at a press conference after Millet was named winner of the contest.

Millet said Kenny Rogers didn't comment on Millet's singing ability.

"I don't think I would want him to," said Millet. "It was enough to win the contest."

The competition led to offers to perform a tribute to Rogers, and he worked up a show.

"I didn't realize there was a market," Millet said. "I didn't know I sang that close to Kenny. Since then, I've been practicing."

Although he will perform newer Rogers material, such as his comeback hit "Buy Me a Rose," Millet mostly sticks with the classic songs, such as "The Gambler," "Coward of the County," "Lady" and "She Believes in Me."

"Historically, the ones that tap into the entire audience are the older stuff," he said.

Backed by recorded music, Millet said he gives the members of the audience ample opportunity to see for themselves that he's not lip-synching.

"I go out in the audience when I sing," he said. "They can't believe it's me singing."

A semi-retired computer builder, Millet said that although offers keep coming in, he spaces out his performances.

"I don't do enough shows to where it's a job," he said. "I keep it fun."