Kenny Rogers
Iconic country star Kenny Rogers has passed away at the age of 81 according to a tweet by his family.
“The Rogers family is sad to announce that Kenny Rogers passed away last night at 10:25PM at the age of 81. Rogers passed away peacefully at home from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family.”
He had stepped away from the public spotlight in recent years due to health issues after completing his farewell tour.
Best known for his hit “The Gambler” that spawned a series of movies and acting roles for himself, Rogers was one of the biggest stars of the 70’s and 80’s. He had a resurgence in the late 90’s with the baseball themed “The Greatest” and became the oldest male artist to ever have a solo #1 hit with “Buy Me A Rose” in 2000.
In addition to being a Hall of Fame solo artist, Rogers was also known for his catalog of duets with various partners overs the years, headed up by Dolly Parton and their massive hit “Islands in the Stream.”
Outside of music and acting, Rogers was passionate about photography and ventured into entrepreneurship, most notably with his chain of chicken restaurants.
Rogers had 24 number one hits, six CMA Awards, and three Grammys that culminated with his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.
We truly have lost one of the most recognizable voices in all of music. Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones.
Here is what his fellow stars are saying about his loss.
We had the privilege of photographing three of his shows over the years:
- Kenny Rogers – 6/9/12 – CMA Fest at LP Field in Nashville, TN
- Kenny Rogers – 4/12/13 – Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, FL
- Kenny Rogers – 1/24/17 – Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL