Kenny Rogers, Country Musician and Actor, Dead at 81

If you listened to pop or country radio in the 1970s or 1980s, odds are good that you still have a Kenny Rogers song or two running through your head. Such was the ubiquity of his musical career — and his penchant for crossover stardom. Rogers died on Friday in the company of his family, reports Variety. He was 81 years old.

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. https://t.co/adxAgiMW2s pic.twitter.com/nggWiiotMT

— Kenny Rogers (@_KennyRogers) March 21, 2020

Rogers’s hit songs include “Islands in the Stream,” “The Gambler” and “Lucille.” He recorded a Lionel Ritchie composition and is known for a duet with Dolly Parton — but that’s only part of his wide-ranging appeal. Variety‘s report on his death also includes a mention of his farewell concert, which took place in Nashville on October 25, 2017. Note the lineup:

Among the guests who joined him for that sentimental sendoff at the Bridgestone Arena were Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Don Henley, Kris Kristofferson, Alison Krauss, Chris Stapleton, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, the Flaming Lips and the Judds.

If your admirers include both The Flaming Lips and Lionel Ritchie, that speaks volumes about your reach as a musician. Among those taking to social media in the wake of Rogers’s passing was comedian and actor Patton Oswalt, who shared fond memories of an episode of Reno 911! in which they both appeared — and spoke to Rogers’s warm presence.

I was on an episode of Reno 911! where I played a crazed stalker who shoots Kenny Rogers. The cast loved him, he told great stories, and was a joy to be around. And “The Gambler” is a truly great song. #RIPKennyRogers

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) March 21, 2020

Rogers also acted in a number of films and co-founded a fast food chain, among other pursuits. His was a wide-ranging life, much like his music; it’s one that will be well-remembered by many.

Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.

Meet your guide

Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…