He knew when to fold 'em

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Kenny Rogers has died, aged 81.

[Sits]

RIP, that’s a real shame.

[Ray de Galles]

Sits has preempted my suggested title of 'So That's What Condition His Condition Was In'.

[Jah Womble]

...or ‘you picked a fine time to leave us’.

RIP, Kenny. Just Dropped In and Ruby remain great tracks.

[Ray de Galles]

A vote here for 'Coward of the County', if only for the Proustian rush of recollection it prompts as a staple of the rugby club jukebox where I grew up.

[Nefertiti2]

Kenny and Dolly

They look like they're having such a good time.

[Sits]

They really do.

[Duncan Gardner]

Ireland's Industry. That is what we are

A top 5

5 Gambler
4 Coward
3 Lucille
2 Islands
1 Ruby

RIP

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Kenny and Dolly

They look like they're having such a good time.

Never knew until this morning that the Bee Gees wrote that. But listening to it now it's obvious.

[Patrick Thistle]

He was a great singer. Someone on the radio said he sang every song as if it was his experience. But he didn't actually write many songs himself.

Islands in the Stream has been pastiched far too many times but it's a beautiful song. The Gambler was my favourite though.

[Nocturnal Submission]

I always thought that his beard was a thing of great sculpted beauty.

The BBC tribute referred to the various genres he performed in: jazz, folk, psychedelia and then finally country.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I think this is the first non-coronavirus story to hit the top 10 on the BBC News "most read" all week. Like an artist getting a stray song in amongst the latest Ed Sheeran album.

[G-Man]

Apparently the Bee Gees wrote "Island In The Stream" for Marvin Gaye. I'm trying to imagine it, but simply can't.

I've always had a soft spot for Kenny Rogers, who really could sell a story. "Lucille" is a really great song. Though I can't do much with his (and The New Edition's) version of "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town". That version is rather mediocre when compared to other versions, especially the re-recording in 1976 by Mel Tillis, who co-wrote the song.

[Stobart]

Anybody know his final words ? Just in case there was an ace in there.

[Guy Profumo]

I'd've gone with something along the lines of “somewhere he broke even” as the thread title