Singer Kenny Rogers Passes at 81

Kenny Rogers, Country Music Hall of Famer, four-time Grammy winner, and all-around pop culture icon, died of natural causes at the age of 81 in his Georgia home.

Rogers was best known for his string of country-flavored crossover hits of the late 1970s and early 1980s, including “The Gambler,” “The Coward of The County,” “Lady,” and “Islands In The Stream,” and was popular enough to be a featured soloist in the landmark 1985 recording of “We Are The World.”

Rogers’ star shined so brightly that his fame couldn’t be contained solely by the Billboard charts. In the ’70s, he broke into acting, racking up 24 credited appearances across television and movies throughout his career.