Through the Years Tour changes to Farewell Down Under Tour so Kenny can say goodbye to New Zealand

FOR THE LAST TIME EVER FEBRUARY 2015

Grammy Award-winning country superstar and contemporary music icon, Kenny Rogers, today announces that his two New Zealand concerts in February will be his very last in this country.

The concerts that had been billed as Kenny Rogers through the years will now be part of his Farewell Down under Tour as he says goodbye to touring Australia and New Zealand.

Kenny will perform in Christchurch on Friday 13 February at the Horncastle Arena and in Hamilton on Sunday 15 February at Claudelands, following an eight-city tour of Australia.

Rogers has toured Australia and New Zealand numerous times — including his first visit as a member of the First Edition in 1973 (Rolling Through New Zealand Tour), with Dolly Parton in 1984 and 1987, with Reba McEntire in 1998, and again in 2008, 2011 and 2012.

"For all of the traveling I’ve done around the world, Australia and New Zealand remain two of my favourite places to perform,” Rogers said, reflecting on past visits while looking forward to the upcoming final concerts Down Under of his career. “When I was with the First Edition, we made this same trip several times, and no matter how many times I’ve gone, I’ve always loved the audiences there. They have a great sense of humour and have always treated me with such great respect, so for that, I say thank you.”

Since his sold out 2012 visit to New Zealand, Kenny has been honoured with an induction into the American Country Music Hall of Fame and the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award – his sixth Country Music Association Award. Previous prestigious accolades include three Grammy Awards, eighteen American Music Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards and sales of more than 120 million – one Diamond, twenty Platinum and thirty two Gold albums, making him one of the Top Ten Best Selling Male Artists of All Time, according to the RIAA.

Rogers’ music has always crossed boundaries and the hit maker is still making monumental cross-over appearances at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals up to this day. In 2013, Rogers made his first appearance at the largest outdoor arts spectacle, the Glastonbury Festival, playing to over 130,000 enthusiastic fans, and at Morocco’s world music, Festival Timitar. In 2012, the country legend was welcomed with open arms at Bonnaroo, one of the premiere U.S. festivals, where he performed his own set with surprise special guest Lionel Richie and later joined Phish on-stage as a surprise guest himself, for a rousing version of The Gambler.

In addition, Rogers has earned a Grammy Award nomination and CMA Award nomination this year, along with long-time friend and collaborator Dolly Parton, for their new duet, “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” which is the title track of Rogers’ current critically acclaimed 32nd studio album released by Warner Bros. in 2013. The magical Kenny & Dolly reunion was only the third time in the studio together since their Real Love hit in 1985.

Rogers is an enduring artist with a distinctive voice, gift for storytelling and universal appeal. He has consistently sold out venues where he performs from a chart-topping catalogue spanning seven decades and including multiple hits such as The Gambler; Lucille; Coward of the County; Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town; Reuben James; Lady; Islands in the Stream; She Believes In Me; We've Got Tonight; Daytime Friends; Sweet Music Man; Through The Years; You Decorated My Life; Buy Me A Rose; I Can’t Unlove You and many more.

As an actor, Kenny starred as Brady Hawkes in The Gambler - five films which became the longest running mini-series franchise on American television and another movie inspired by his hit, Coward of the County.

His autobiography, Luck Or Something Like It - A Memoir, was a New York Times Best Seller on release in 2012 and continues to receive stellar reviews. Rogers has also produced several books of photography and earlier this year, received an Honorary Masters of Photography from the Professional Photographers of America.

Kenny Rogers is the singer, the musician, the songwriter, the photographer, the producer, the actor and of course…The Gambler!

Don’t miss your last chance to see the legendary Kenny Rogers on his Farewell Down Under Tour, where he will be joined by some of our brightest stars as special guests.

KENNY ROGERS FAREWELL DOWN UNDER TOUR – February 2015

Fri 13 Feb: Horncastle Arena, CHRISTCHURCH www.ticketek.co.nz

Sun 15 Feb: Claudelands Arena, HAMILTON www.ticketek.co.nz                                       

For more information please contact Pacific Entertainment’s publicist Sandra Roberts on 021 525 104 or emailsandra@skip.co.nz, or visit www.pacificentertainment.co.nz.