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Kenny Rogersย is ending his farewell tour abruptly per doctors orders, as he works through โa series of health challenges.โ
The 79-year-old country music legend announced his retirement in 2015, and has spent the last two years circling the globe onย The Gamblerโs Last Dealย โ a tour named after his signature song, 1979โs โThe Gambler.โ
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Withย stops scheduledย in Nevada, California, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, and Louisiana through June, Rogers was nearly at the end of his goodbye concerts. But doctorโs orders means heโll have to end the jaunt.
โKenny Rogers has been working through a series of health challenges,โ his publicist said in a statement to PEOPLE. โHis doctors fully expect the outcome to be great, but they have advised him to cancel all performances through the end of the year to focus on recuperation.โ
The canceled dates include a performance atย Blackpoolโs Livewire Festival in August, which was Rogers final scheduled appearance.
โI didnโt want to take forever to retire,โ Rogers said. โIโve thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to say farewell to the fans over the course of the past two years onย The Gamblerโs Last Dealย tour. I could never properly thank them for the encouragement and support theyโve given me throughout my career and the happiness Iโve experienced as a result of that.โ
Known to millions of fans around the world for hits like โIslands In the Stream,โ โThrough the Years,โ โLucilleโ and โLady,โ Rogers has had a six-decade recording career dating back to the 1950s.
Among his many accolades, Rodgers has been awarded three Grammys, 18ย American Music Awards, and a spot in theย Country Music Hall of Fame.