Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Announce Final Performance Together

Before Kenny Rogers retires, he’ll return to the stage with his lifelong duet partner, Dolly Parton, according to Rolling Stone. Rogers has reportedly announced plans for his final retirement concert that will take place in Nashville on Wednesday, October 25th.

The concert, which will be taped at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for a later broadcast, will feature artists that transcend genres, including Little Big Town, Jamey Johnson, Elle King, Broadway star Idina Menzel, the alt-rock group Flaming Lips, Alison Krauss, and additional undisclosed guests for “All In for the Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration.”

Musician Kenny Rogers and singer Dolly Parton attending ‘The RP Foundation Fighting Blindness Humanitarian Awards Dinner’ on April 19, 1988 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, New York. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)

WireImage

Rogers and Parton, who have worked together on hits including “Real Love,” “Love Is Strange” and “Islands in the Stream” — a Bee Gees cover deemed by CMT as the greatest country duet of all time — haven’t held the same stage for 12 years. The date in October will only mark the third time they’ve sang together in more than a quarter of a century, and Rolling Stone reports the two have agreed it will be the last.

“Dolly is one of those rare people, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, she is everything you think she is and more,” Rogers reportedly said. “And that’s a rare thing to be able to say about people. Neither of us takes ourselves for granted, and we’re both kind of astonished as to what’s happened with our lives and our careers. We’re both very appreciative of it.”

Listen to the two perform “Islands in the Stream” below.