Kenny Rogers died on March 20, 2020, just 2 days after then-Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms closed City Hall to both essential and non-essential employees in response to the rapid spread of coronavirus. That Friday night, our city suspended with concern, I sat outside and listened to a misty-eyed montage of songs, enjoying the sentimental moment thanks to one of our country’s most popular singer-songwriters and a legend who brought millions together through his music. That night seems like forever ago.
In September of 2021, Rogers was laid to rest at Oakland Cemetery without much fanfare. Purchased in 1850, to provide space for the growing city, Oakland’s original 6 acres expanded, the grounds now home to more than 70,000 departed souls including thousands of paupers in a field of unmarked graves, Confederate generals, slaves, Jews and “Famous Residents” like Rogers, along with Mayor Maynard Jackson Jr., Mayor Ivan Allen Jr., golfing legend Bobby Jones, Selena Sloan Butler, Carrie Steele Logan, “Gone With The Wind” author Margaret Mitchell, and most recently, the late Mayor Sam Massell.
Credit: Heidi Harris
Credit: Heidi Harris
On a recent Saturday, friend Jamie Allen and I planned to pay our respects on the 2nd anniversary of Kenny’s death and enjoy a morning of fellowship. Walking towards the Memorial Avenue entrance we saw a ceremony taking place and heard joy-filled laughter. Delayed by the pandemic and unbeknownst to us, we were about to inadvertently attend Kenny Rogers’ funeral. It was dreamlike, the way you’d imagine The Gambler’s final goodbye to be.
For more than 2 hours, family, friends and his “tour family” – the roasters – imparted lessons learned, practical jokes played, generosity witnessed and a lifetime of memories made. As the service concluded, an all-Black choir sang back up to a recording of “Amazing Grace” by Rogers, followed by solitary bagpipes playing a final repose.
Calling Atlanta home since 1995, I grew up in New Orleans with the extraordinary opportunity to see an incredible amount of live music. My first concert remains the most memorable. It was the 1980s, and Kenny Rogers sang to a packed house at Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena with an encore performance of “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” featuring Crystal Gayle. I remember a sea of lighters in the air along with a sense of excitement and togetherness in the crowd.
That night has stuck with me all these years, marking an important milestone in time as music is prone to do. It was a time of peace, happiness, and joy.
The past 2 years have been disruptive, difficult, and to many quite devastating. Through the vitriol of politics, fear and pain of the pandemic and raw anger expressed as a reaction to a long history of transgressions, we’re all exhausted. Over the past several weeks, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated those feelings. President Joe Biden’s unmasked State of the Union address brought a new message about conflict and struggle, a dispatch seeming to capture a zeitgeist of desire focused on peace and security displayed most prominently in the global retort against Putin’s intolerable aggression.
People don’t want to fight; we want peace, we want happiness and we want joy. But how do we find that?
I recommend a visit to Oakland Cemetery. Oakland represents the rich history of Atlanta, its pride and its prejudice, set in time. Coming out of the pandemic we have an opportunity to start forging a new and happier chapter. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is leading the way by “moving Atlanta forward -- together”, and cemeteries are physical places that peacefully and spiritually bring us there. They are places to reconcile, places to reflect, places for healing and spaces for remembrance. So, go find a quiet corner, read an inspiring headstone, be with those you love and reflect upon life and what makes it truly worth living.
I’ve lived in Atlanta for 26 years and have dedicated my career to helping foster the cultural and physical development of a city I love through programming, historic preservation, adaptive reuse and nonprofit work. I’m married, and we’re raising our young Atlantan here. It’s home. I want the best for us and know we’re all on the cusp of a new chapter with an opportunity to come together and find peace, find happiness, and find joy.
During his career Rogers sold over 120 million records and amassed countless accolades and awards as a result. By all accounts Kenny Rogers was one in a million and hearing firsthand those closest to him share their intimate stories I understood why and relearned the power of coming together after hard times.
One of the most poignant lines from Kenny’s funeral was spoken in tribute and is the title of his famous duet with longtime soulmate Dolly Parton: “You Can’t Make Old Friends”. Old friends are people whose friendship you earn and friendships you keep. Let’s come together now Atlanta, and work on those lifelong bonds today.
Gene Kansas is a developer in Atlanta.
