Kenny Rogers Fans Remember ‘Islands in the Stream’ Duet With Dolly Parton After His Death

Country icon Kenny Rogers died from natural causes on Friday, March 20 at age 81, his family shared in a statement. The singer was “under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family” when he passed away.

Rogers began his career in the 1950s and went on to sell over 100 million records worldwide and earn 24 No. 1 hits. He was awarded multiple Grammys, ACM and CMA Awards and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013, among other honors. He recorded a number of hits including “The Gambler,” “Lucille,” and “Islands in the Stream,” a duet with his good friend Dolly Parton that became one of his most well-known songs.

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After Rogers’ death, fans began remembering the star with social media posts referencing the iconic duet.

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Several shared videos of Rogers and Parton performing the track.

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“Islands in the Stream” was released in August 1983 as the first single from Rogers’ album Eyes That See in the Dark. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart as well as the Country and Adult Contemporary charts and has been certified Platinum. The song was written by the Bee Gees and was originally written for Marvin Gaye before being recorded by Rogers and Parton.

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In addition to “Islands in the Stream,” Rogers and Parton also recorded the 1984 Christmas album Once Upon a Christmas and the 1985 duet “Real Love.”

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After Rogers’ death, Parton shared a video on social media remembering her friend. “I loved Kenny with all my heart,” she said. “My heart’s broken and a big old chunk of it has gone with him today. I think that I can speak for all his family, his friends and fans when I say that I will always love you.”

“So you be safe with God and just know that I will always love you, dolly,” she added in a second message.

Photo Credit: Getty / ABC Photo Archives