Dolly Parton recently paid touching homage to the late Kenny Rogers. Parton is missing her long-time pal, “I miss him so much,” just three years after his passing.
“I’ve lost so many amazing people in the past few years. But Kenny was extremely precious and important to me, and I never get tired of hearing us sing during the years that we were on stage together.”
Donny Parton pays tribute to her late friend Kenny Rogers.
The famous country singer died of natural causes in March 2020 at 81. Parton posted an emotional video on social media, stating, “I loved Kenny with all my heart. And my heart has been broken. And a significant portion of it went with him today.”
In an interview, she said, “You know how sometimes you grow weary of singing something because it just becomes routine?” She referred to her song with Rogers, “Islands in the Stream.”
“I would always light up when that specific song came due in the set list,” she continues. “It just made everyone in the crowd feel so fantastic, and the audience adored singing it. Kenny’s voice never became old to me.”
Parton also enjoys their 2013 hit “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” inspired by their long-standing friendship. “We recorded that song just in time, honestly,” Parton says, noting that Rogers would later retire due to health issues. “Now I can’t even sing it.”
“You can meet new friends that feel like old friends, but there’s something special about those who have known each other for years… You have a history, and you get to know each other on the inside and out. Kenny was someone I was familiar with. We have a lot in common. We’re genuinely like brothers and sisters.”
“He’s up there singing,” Parton replies after a beat. Something I am aware of.”