Kenny Rogers Dead: ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ Pays Tribute to Late Country Icon

Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman posted a tribute to Kenny Rogers on Saturday morning, shortly after the singer’s passing was announced. Rogers died in his home in Georgia on Friday night, according to a statement from his family. His passing was attributed to natural causes.

“RIP,” wrote Chapman on Saturday, in honor of Rogers. He included a GIF of Rogers accepting a trophy at the Country Music Awards, and the hashtag “Kenny Rogers RIP.” Fans of both the country artist and of Chapman’s reality TV work chimed in with their own mournful words for Rogers.

“Very sad waking up to see this. God bless Kenny and his family,” one fan wrote.

“Absolutely heartbreaking,” echoed another with a string of broken-hearted emojis.

“What a legend. RIP Kenny Rogers,” added a third person.

Rogers was 81 years old, and was reportedly receiving hospice care at home. He was surrounded by family members when he passed. His publicist, Keith Hagan has been issuing updates for the public on behalf of the family.

“Kenny Rogers left an indelible mark on the history of American music. His songs have endeared music lovers and touched the lives of millions around the world,” Hagan said.

Rogers’ family intends to hold a small funeral service for him among themselves, to avoid drawing a crowd together during the coronavirus pandemic. They expressed hope that at some point later on they can hold a larger public memorial.

Rogers was an icon of country music, and of some other genres as well, having dabbled in rock and roll, pop and other sounds. He had 24 Number 1 hits in his career, won six Country Music Awards and three Grammy Awards, and even had his music adapted into movies.

Rogers announced his retirement from music in 2015, though it took a while for him to truly settle down. In a statement published on his official website, he said: “I’ve been so lucky to have enjoyed such a long career and to have such amazing support from my fans and all who have helped me along the way, but there comes a time when I need to focus on spending time with my family.”

“My life is about my wife and my 11-year-old twin boys right now. There are a lot of things I want to do together with them to create some special memories. I don’t have a bucket list of my own,” he went on. “…I have a bucket list of things I want to do with them.”