The Gambler's Last Deal;RIP Kenny

When i heard my dad's phone ring, a couple of years ago, i was excited. I wanted to know the name of the ringtone and probably know the lyrics to the ringtone and ultimately sing along the singer. The ringtone was Jim Reeves' This World is not my Home I remember asking my father to play the song on his small yet expensive Nokia phone. I cant remember the model. I was probably in class eight or awaiting to join high school. My father obliged and played the song. I hummed along and ultimately i loved the composition. i remember too asking the genre of the song.
I would later become a great fan of country music, in particular compositions of Don Williams, Dolly Parton, Jim Reeves, John Denver, and the icon himself, Kenny Rogers who has now departed this world to go join other cowboys.

I'm not a great fan of music, in that case any music but country music speaks not only to my mind but soul and spirit. There's something unique with country music. It is the music that differentiates men from boys, women from girls, the kind that makes the world stop when the tunes are playing. Country music is not only for enjoyment, it speaks to us and our lives, it informs our decisions and aptly shapes our lifestyle. That's country music for me. What of you?

This morning the world stopped a bit. The news of the demise of an icon, a legend, a crooner of country music spread across the whole world. Kenny Rogers had passed on peacefully out of natural causes aged 81. Without a doubt Kenny has lived and outlived his life. Impacting millions in the world. He was the omphalos of the country music, a great composer who combined everything be it gospel or Rhythm and Blues in a melodic voice into original and great sounds and melodious songs that speaks to your mind and soul. Kenny has gambled with his life properly and the best he probably hoped was to die peacefully in his sleep. At 81 on a gloomy Saturday morning he has his last gambling deal.
During the days i rocked the campus airwaves at moi University radio i dedicated Monday breakfast shows to country music. I had a long playlist of country music but it wouldn't be fulfilling to me and my fans if i didn't play kenny's Coward of the county, Vows go Unbroken, the Gambler, the duet Islands in the streams and the Evening Star. Most of the songs i would play them back to back for the love of the genre and the legendary Kenny Rogers;a man whose singing career has spanned for almost half a century inspiring and impacting millions in the world. My all time favourite among his songs is the gambler and Evening star! Kenny through the gambler has taught many to gamble with life and to play the game properly!
Kenny is among the few musicians who have a memoir detailing on his life. He tells the full story of a remarkable life and career in Luck or Something Like It. From his days with hit group The First Edition to his sterling solo work, the artist who "knows when to hold 'em and knows when to fold 'em" knows how to tell a captivating life story as he recounts his remarkable rise to the top of the charts.
Even in his absence, the strings of the guitar producing beautiful tunes will always speak to us through his songs.
Cowboys and cowgirls don't die, they sleep. If they die, they don't rot. If they rot, they don't smell and if they smell, they smell perfume. The fragrance that lives on to inspire generations and generations. Sleep in power Kenny!