On Saturday, March 21, 2020, My sister told me of the passing of Kenny Rogers. He passed late Friday evening in his home of natural causes surrounded by family, under the care of hospice.

I grew up listening to his music; along with Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, Patsy Cline, among others.

A few years back, my family and I attended one of his concerts on his “The Gambler’s Last Deal” Farewell Tour. Overall, the experience was amazing. Because his songs were so well known, the audience picked up and sang them when he forgot the words.

I’m just glad I was able to say “I saw Kenny Rogers in concert,” and check it off my proverbial “concert checklist.”

One of my favorite songs of Kenny’s is “The Gambler.” Part of “The Gambler” goes like this:

Every gambler knows
That the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away
And knowin’ what to keep
‘Cause every hand’s a winner
And every hand’s a loser

Even though the song itself is about gambling, I’ve noticed it also pertains to life: Sometimes you’ll be in situations where you will lose; other times you’ll be in situations where you keep winning. Just trust your gut because it will know when you will win and when you will not. I’ve had many times where I had a gut feeling about a situation; some good, some not-so-good, and I went the opposite of what my gut told me to do. I’ve always regretted doing that because my gut has never steered me wrong.

After Kenny passed, I found myself listening to his songs more and more. They bring back the wonderful memories of my childhood; the wonderful memories of seeing him in concert.

Dolly Parton posted a video on her Facebook page on Saturday, March 21, 2020, expressing her condolences to Kenny’s family, friends, and fans. Her emotions were very much apparent in the video; a testament to the wonderful friendship the two shared. The friendship the two shared is beautiful.

In the weeks after his death, many other artists have paid tribute to the Gambler as well, such as Lionel Richie, Brad Paisley, and Darius Rucker. It’s amazing to see the outpouring of love for Kenny. I just know he’s smiling down from the Great Poker Room in the sky.

If you’re a fan of Kenny, what is one of your favorite songs by him? Have you ever been to a concert of his? Let me know in the comments!