Kenny Rogers Mourned by Parton, Henley, Richie

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Kenny Rogers is being mourned by fellow music legends, who are paying tribute to the country-pop superstar. News of “The Gambler”‘s passing on Mar. 20 at age 81 arrived Mar. 21 via a statement from his family. Leading the way with tributes were Dolly Parton, who recorded the chart-topping 1983 duet, “Islands in the Stream,” with Rogers; Don Henley, whose 1970 debut album Rogers produced; and Lionel Richie, who wrote one of his biggest hits.

On her Twitter page, Parton wrote, “You never now how much you love somebody until they’re gone.”

(Watch her video message, which accompanied her tweet, below.)

Related: Our obituary of the country-pop superstar

Watch the pair sing their hit

Rogers offered advice to 22-year-old Don Henley and his band, Shiloh, and produced their debut album. “In addition to his tremendous talent, Kenny was a generous and caring man, a wise mentor to so many of us,” said Henley. “Fifty years ago, The Gambler took a gamble on me and my first band from small-town Texas, and his big-hearted support launched many careers, including mine. He also gave me some of the best career advice I ever got: ‘You’d better be nice to the people you meet on the way up, because you’re going to meet those same people on the way back down.’”

In 1980, Rogers recorded a Lionel Richie composition, “Lady,” for his Greatest Hits album. The song became a #1 pop and country hit and helped the collection stay atop the sales chart for weeks.

Kim Carnes recorded a big duet with Rogers, “Don’t Fall in Love With a Dreamer.”

Jerry Lee Lewis: “I am filled with profound sadness with the loss of my friend and fellow artist, Kenny Rogers. God Bless him and his family. He will be greatly missed by all, but his outstanding legacy will live on. Love you, my friend.”

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  1. Tony
    #1 Tony 22 March, 2020, 00:30

    I remember he started out as a rocker. ‘I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in’. Classic.

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