Old Friends
The tragic news came out a few weeks ago: Kenny Rogers had died. For some of you, your response was somewhere along the lines of, "The fried chicken guy?" or "I liked The Gambler ." But for a country music-loving little girl in the 1980s whose childhood idols included Kenny Rogers, Larry Gatlin, Randy Owen, and Charlie Daniels, the news was soul-shaking. I thought he was the image of an angel, with a voice as smooth as silk yet scratchy as sandpaper. And though I had never met Kenny, or even seen him live in concert, I felt personally crushed. Like a part of my childhood was gone forever. Still, after the flood of emotions had subsided, I had one thought: "I wonder if Dolly is okay." Because as much as I loved Kenny, I knew he and Dolly Parton were actual friends: real, lifelong, heart-and-soul friends from way back. And my heart broke for her. "Islands in the Stream" was one of the many duets they recorded together, and if you can