When the legendary Kenny Rogers passed away at the age of 81 on March 20, 2020, his family, like so many others at that time, was unable to hold a proper funeral due to the COVID-19 pandemic that had started to wreak havoc across the globe.
Two years later, the Country Music Hall of Famer was finally laid to rest at a private ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia.
Audacy shared that Linda Davis and Billy Dean hosted the event, which featured over a dozen speakers, as well as the Dr. T. Lynn Smith and Friends gospel choir. The ceremony also included a prerecorded vocal performance from Rogers, and a traditional Irish sendoff by Brigadier General (Ret.) Richard McPhee.
In a reception following the service, guests were shown a new video for Rogers’ single, “Goodbye,” which was written by longtime friend Lionel Richie. The track was one of Rogers’ final recordings for Capitol Records in 2009, one of three previously unreleased songs from Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years.
The stunning lyric video features snapshots of Rogers throughout his career, from the studio to the stage, concluding with the phrase “Until we meet again…” and the Bible verse John 3:16.
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The world-renowned singer left an incredible legacy, selling 100 million records worldwide and charting international hits including “The Gambler,” “Lucille,” and “Islands in the Stream,” the 1983 collaboration with Dolly Parton. From 1977 to 1999, Rogers had 30 Number One singles on the U.S. pop, country, and adult contemporary charts. In addition to being named a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Rogers earned three GRAMMYs, five Country Music Association awards, and eight Academy of Country Music awards.
The Rogers family has graciously extended an open invitation for fans to pay their respects and visit Rogers’ grave at Oakland Cemetery, located at 248 Oakland Ave, SE in Atlanta, GA.
Additionally, a star-studded tribute concert that honored Rogers, held at Bridgestone Arena in 2017, is slated to be released on DVD/CD this spring. The show was a farewell to his music as he prepared for retirement and previously aired on TV in September 2021 via CBS.
The 90-minute film, Kenny Rogers: All In For The Gambler, featured performances by his longtime friend Dollly Parton, Chris Stapleton, Lionel Richie, Idina Menzel with Charles Kelley, The Oak Ridge Boys, Little Big Town, Elle King, Billy Dean among many others.
The DVD and CD are both available for preorder now at AllInForTheGambler.com.