Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers to Sing Together One Last Time
Country music legends Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers have been friends and collaborators for over three decades. This fall, the two stars will perform together one last time. While Dolly has no plans to stop touring anytime soon, Kenny has decided to hang up his spurs so he can spend more time with his wife and teenage sons. To celebrate his retirement, Rogers will headline a farewell concert that will feature appearances by Parton and other special guests. Visit My Smokies has all the details on Dolly and Kenny’s final duet.
All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration
Billed as “All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration”, this all-star event is slated to take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on October 25, 2017. In addition to Dolly Parton, the show will feature Alison Krauss, Little Big Town, Jamey Johnson, Elle King, Idina Menzel, The Flaming Lips, and other big name artists. Kenny and his famous friends will perform the singer’s biggest hits, including “The Gambler”, “Lucille”, “She Believes in Me”, and “Lady”.
Dolly and Kenny: 30 Years of Friendship and Music
The most eagerly anticipated part of Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert is his duet with Dolly Parton on their beloved song “Islands in the Stream”. Originally written by the Bee Gees for Marvin Gaye, the song reached number one on the Billboard charts when it was released as the first single from Rogers’ 1983 album Eyes That See in the Dark. You can watch Dolly and Kenny perform “Islands in the Stream” at a 1985 concert in Portland, Oregon in the clip below:
In a statement about the farewell concert, Dolly said, “Kenny is like a family member to me. We have been friends for over 30 years and made musical magic together. Since 1983, when we released ‘Islands in the Stream’, everyone has had an expectation to see Kenny everywhere I go and me with him wherever he goes. Well, I guess for many of those fans that wanted to see us together, this will be that night. Performing with Kenny for the last time ever on October 25th is going to be emotional for both of us, but it’s also going to be very special. Even though Kenny may be retiring, as he fades from the stage, our love for each other will never fade away”.
At a press conference in Nashville, Kenny echoed Parton’s statement, telling reporters, “We can go three years without talking to each other and when we get together, it’s like we were together yesterday. We both feel that comfort”. Speaking about the final performance of Islands in the Stream, Rogers joked, “I think we owe it to her to let her go on with her career, but we owe it to me to do it one more time, and we’re going to do that”.
Have Some Dolly-Themed Fun in the Smoky Mountains
Visitors to Pigeon Forge, TN will have many opportunities to enjoy some Dolly Parton-themed fun during their vacation! Here are five wonderful attractions in the Smokies that Dolly fans definitely don’t want to miss:
- Dollywood
- Dollywood’s Splash Country
- Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede
- Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Adventures
- Dolly Parton Statue
