Country music icon Kenny Rogers dead at 81

Country music icon Kenny Rogers has died at the age of 81.

A post to the musician's social media read: "The Rogers family is sad to announce that Kenny Rogers passed away last night at 10:25pm at the age of 81.

"Rogers passed away peacefully at home from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family."

In a career that spanned more than six decades, Rogers left an "indelible mark on the history of American music", his family said.

Chart-topping hits like "The Gambler," "Lady," "Islands In The Stream," "Lucille," "She Believes In Me," and "Through the Years" are just a handful of his songs that "inspired generations of artists and fans alike".

Rogers was a Country Music Hall of Fame member, six-time CMA Awards winner, three-time Grammy Award-winner and recipient of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.