Kenny Rogers on retirement: 'I'm going out because I need to go out'
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Kenny Rogers promised himself he would retire from the music industry when he felt he could no longer put on shows "properly."
"Every day is not a holiday. You get out there [and] it's hard, hard work. I can't do it like I used to do it," Rogers told Fox News. "And I swore that I'd do this until I started embarrassing myself."
The 79-year-old will bid farewell to his fans at an all-star final show Wednesday at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. It will also mark the last time Rogers will sing with his longtime duet partner Dolly Parton.
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"All these people wanted to come do songs of mine and say thank you because, I had kind of — I hate this, this is awkward for me — I had inspired them to some extent and they wanted to pay me back and I thought it was very nice, so I'm glad we're going to get a chance to do it," he said.
In addition to Parton, Rogers will be joined by Little Big Town, the Flaming Lips, Idina Menzel, Elle King, Jamey Johnson and Alison Krauss.
The "Islands in the Stream" singer said his retirement is final and is not planning any future comebacks.
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"That's always been kind of a rub with me when people retire 10 times," he said. "I'm going out because I need to go out and I'm going to enjoy my time at home with my wife and kids. I'm going to enjoy every moment of it."
Reflecting on his decades-long career, Rogers said there have been certain standout moments.
"What's really made me happy is that I set out with a concept and it worked, and my concept now is to quit my concept."