The country music star died Friday night at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia. He was 81.
News of Kenny Rogers’ passing was confirmed by his family via social media. Per the announcement “Rogers passed away peacefully at home from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family.”
Rogers is known for hits such as “The Gambler,” “Lady,” and “Islands in the Stream” as well as collaborations with major stars including Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and the Bee Gees.
Rogers embarked on a farewell tour in 2015 and kept on performing through December 2017. In April 2018 he announced that he was stepping away from music due to health challenges.
“I didn’t want to take forever to retire,” he said in a statement at the time. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to say farewell to the fans over the course of the past two years on ‘The Gambler’s Last Deal’ tour. I could never properly thank them for the encouragement and support they’ve given me throughout my career and the happiness I’ve experienced as a result of that.”
