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Country music icon Kenny Rogers announces retirement at 77, to spend more time with family, but will bow out with final tour

By Zoe Nauman For Dailymail.com

Published: 12:51 EST, 25 September 2015 | Updated: 15:22 EST, 25 September 2015

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Country music legend Kenny Rogers has revealed he is retiring from music.

However, the singer is not going quietly - he plans to do one final farewell tour before he bows out.

The 77-year-old country music icon announced his retirement during an appearance on The Today Show on Friday.

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End of the road: Country music icon Kenny Rogers has announced he is retiring

Promoting his new Christmas album on the program he said: It's happily sad and sadly happy. I'm gonna do a big world wide tour and it's gonna be my last. To say goodbye at that point.

'I've done this long enough. I wrote in my book that sometimes there’s a fine line between being driven and being selfish, and I think I crossed that line when I was younger.

'And I really want to be there with my kids and my wife. They’re very important to me, and I don’t see enough of them. That was my goal. I have some things on my bucket list.'

Taking a break: He revealed on The Today Show on Friday he made the decision because he wanted to spend more time with his family

Downtime: The star has twin boys Jordan and Justin - aged 11

The star and his wife Wanda, have 11-year-old twin sons, Jordan and Justin. He also has three other children from three of his previous four marriages.

He acknowledged for him, thoughts of his retirement had been on the horizon for a while.

Kenny said it was getting harder to spend time on the road: 'I’m sure I will miss it. I swore that I would do this until I embarrassed myself.'

Last hurrah: The singer added it was also because he found life on the road grueling - but he planned to do one last tour

After a five decade long career in music, he plans to wrap his tour and give his final performance on The Today show.

The King of country said: 'This is my 50-something year in the business. I have achieved everything I set out to achieve.

'A lot of the stuff I have been doing requires that I be gone from home. I want them (my sons) to be: "I did this with my dad." That they did it with me.'

He added: 'This is my 50-something year in the business. I have achieved everything I set out to achieve'

He added: 'I am gonna hang it up. I've done it long enough. I thought I would go out with a flurry. I have had a really good time. Make it a world tour

'It sounds egotistical - people have really supported me my whole career. I owe them a chance to say goodbye.'

The singer is also releasing a Christmas album - his first in 17 years, and his 76th album to date.

Nuptials: Kenny has been married five times - he is pictured here with his fifth wife Wanda Miller - they tied the knot in 1997

He is best known for among others, his song 'The Gambler.' He has sold 120 million albums worldwide.

Kenny started his career in the mid 1950's with a band called The Scholars.

He had some success with a song called 'Poor Little Doggie' and was not the lead singer of the band.

Kenny then had a minor hit in 1958 with a solo hit called 'That Crazy Feeling.'

Long career: The singer starred his career in the mid 1950's - he is pictured here with The First Edition who he worked with in the late 1960's and 70's

In the early 1960's he worked with a band called The Bobby Doyle Three, and then joined The New Christy Minstrels.

The band reformed in 1967 as Kenny Rogers and The First Edition and he began to hit his stride.

It was in 1976 when he went solo - and it was in 1977 he had his first major hit around the world with 'Lucille.'

Kenny has moved through the genres of teenage pop, to psychedelic rock and onto country throughout his career.

His diversity has made him one of the highest paid performers in the world.

The singer has nearly 50 gongs to his name to date honouring his achievements.