Kenny Rogers spent six decades singing to packed arenas around the world. But when he died in March 2020, the country was closing its doors to the coronavirus, and only a small circle of family could gather to say goodbye. The memorial his family promised would not come for two full years. When it finally did, it fell on the exact date he died.
What many fans did not know was that Kenny Rogers had already received his grand farewell. It happened in Nashville in 2017, and the most unforgettable moment of the night belonged to Dolly Parton.
The Night of March 20, 2020
Kenny Rogers passed away at 10:25 on the night of Friday, March 20, 2020, at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia. He was 81. His family said he died peacefully of natural causes, under hospice care and surrounded by the people he loved.
The timing could hardly have been harder. That same week, much of America was shutting down. Public gatherings of more than ten people were being banned. Concerts, church services and funerals were being canceled or shrunk down to a handful of mourners.
The Rogers family announced they would hold only a small private service out of concern for what they called the national COVID-19 emergency. They said they looked forward to celebrating Kenny’s life publicly with friends and fans at a later date. Instead of flowers, they asked fans to give to the MusiCares Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was helping music workers who had suddenly lost their income.
Two Years Later, to the Day
That later date turned out to be March 20, 2022, exactly two years after Kenny Rogers died. Even then, it was not a giant stadium tribute. A small group of close friends, family members and band members gathered at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia.
The ceremony was hosted by Linda Davis and Billy Dean, two singers who had toured with Kenny Rogers for years. More than fifteen speakers shared stories about the man behind “The Gambler.” Near the end, Dr. T. Lynn Smith and a gospel choir sang “Amazing Grace” alongside a pre-recorded vocal by Kenny Rogers himself, so his voice was part of his own farewell. Then everyone sang “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” one of his favorite songs. Retired Brigadier General Richard McPhee gave him an Irish sendoff as guests left the site.
At the reception afterward, the family debuted a new lyric video for his song “Goodbye.” They also invited fans everywhere to visit his final resting place at Oakland Cemetery, the public goodbye that the pandemic had taken away two years earlier.
The Goodbye He Had Already Received
In a way, Kenny Rogers had already said farewell to his fans in person. On October 25, 2017, during his final tour, The Gambler’s Last Deal, Nashville threw him an all-star concert at Bridgestone Arena called All In For The Gambler.
Kenny Rogers and his wife, Wanda, sat on the stage and watched as more than twenty artists sang his songs back to him. Lionel Richie sang “Lady,” the hit he had written for Kenny. Reba McEntire sang “Reuben James.” Kris Kristofferson sang “Me and Bobby McGee.” Chris Stapleton sang “The Gambler.” Don Henley, who once lived with the Rogers family, sang “Desperado.” The Judds even reunited for the night.
“Thank you for coming here tonight to help me say goodbye.”
That was how Kenny Rogers greeted the crowd. He knew exactly what the night was.
Dolly’s Last Song for Kenny
The show was built toward one moment: Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton sharing a stage for the last time. They opened their set with “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” a 2013 duet written about their decades of friendship.
Then Dolly Parton surprised him. She sang “I Will Always Love You” directly to Kenny Rogers. Before the song, she told him that in her heart there was a spot for him that nobody else would ever touch.
They finished with “Islands in the Stream,” the 1983 duet that made them one of the most beloved pairings in music history. When the last note faded, Dolly Parton suggested they go out like rock stars. They dropped their microphones together and walked off arm in arm.
“I Will Always Love You”
When Kenny Rogers died, Dolly Parton posted a video holding up a photograph of the two of them. She told fans her heart was broken. In her written message, she said that above all the music and success, she had loved him as a wonderful man and a true friend.
“You never know how much you love somebody until they’re gone.”
She ended her message with the same words she had sung to him in Nashville, telling him to be safe with God and to know that she would always love him.
On August 25, 2026, Dolly Parton passed away peacefully in Nashville at the age of 80. Now that farewell concert in 2017 stands as the last time the world saw them side by side, two old friends singing the song that brought them together.
Do you remember where you were when you first heard Kenny and Dolly sing “Islands in the Stream”?