Kenny Rogers Dies Aged 81

Country music legend Kenny Rogers has died at the age of 81.

He “passed away peacefully at home from natural causes”, a family representative said.

Kenny Rogers topped pop and country charts during the 1970s and 1980s, and won three Grammy awards.

Known for his husky voice and ballads including Lucille, The Gambler, and Coward Of The County, his career spanned more than six decades.

Kenny Rogers once summed up his popularity by explaining that he believed his songs “say what every man wants to say and that every woman wants to hear”.

After growing up in poverty on a federal housing estate in Houston, Texas, Kenny Rogers began recording with a string of bands before launching his solo career in 1976.

Kenny Rogers was never a favorite of music critics, but became one of the most successful pop-country crossover acts of all time, and the 10th best-selling male artist in US history in terms of album sales.

The musician collaborated with other country music legends during his career, including Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.

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In 2007, Kenny Rogers unexpectedly found himself back in the limelight in the UK when The Gambler became the unofficial World Cup anthem of England’s Rugby Team.

That same year, Kenny Rogers was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Country Music Association.

A keen businessman, the singer led several ventures over the years, mainly in property and the restaurant sector.

Kenny Rogers also acted in several movies and TV shows, including starring as a race car driver in the 1982 movie Six Pack.

The country music legend was married five times and had five children.