Kenny Rogers Cancels Remainder of Tour Due to ‘Health Challenges’

Kenny Rogers is canceling the remainder of his shows for the rest of 2018, citing doctor’s orders, after battling a “series of health challenges.”

Silver Lake Resort, where Rogers was scheduled to perform on April 28, shared a press release explaining the 79-year-old’s decision to come off the road.

“Kenny Rogers has been working through a series of health challenges,” the release says. “His doctors fully expect the outcome to be great, but they have advised him to cancel all performances through the end of the year to focus on recuperation.”

Rogers also issued his thoughts regarding his decision to cancel the remainder of his shows.

“I didn’t want to take forever to retire,” Rogers says in a statement. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to say farewell to the fans over the course of the past two years on ‘The Gambler’s Last Deal’ tour.”

Rogers announced his retirement in 2015, launching his The Gambler’s Last Deal farewell tour, which was scheduled to conclude at the end of 2018. He was part of a tribute concert in Nashville on October 25, All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers, which included performances by Chris Stapleton, Idina Menzal, Reba McEntire, Lady Antebellum, The Flaming Lips and Dolly Parton, among others.

The country music icon decided to retire to spend more time at home with his boys, 13-year-old twins Justin and Jordan.

“You have different goals in life at this point, and my goals are my boys,” 77-year-old Rogers said of his decision to retire (quote via The Boot). “I missed this time with my older boys. I wrote in my book [Luck or Something Like It: A Memoir], there’s a fine line between being driven and being selfish, and I think I was selfish when I was younger — I chose to tour. But if I hadn’t chosen that, I wouldn’t be here, so I don’t know; I don’t know what the answer is. But I love my boys, and now I don’t have to tour, and if I tour, it’s because I choose to.”

“My boys are what’s more important to me now than music,” he continued. “I’ve truly done everything I could do, I’ve won everything I could win, and now my life has to go on.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame member hinted at his decision in a tweet on April 4.

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory,” he wrote, sharing the quote from Theodor Seuss Geisel, known as Dr. Seuss.

Refunds for the remainder of Rogers’ shows will be offered at the point of purchase.