Kenny Rogers’ widow Wanda Miller, 55, reveals she’s found love again

Kenny Rogers’ widow, Wanda Miller, is dating someone “very special” three years after her husband’s death.

Wanda, 56, was devastated when Kenny died in March 2020 aged 81, but she has now revealed that the Islands in the Stream star urged her to move on with her life after he was gone, giving her his blessing to find love again.

Miller shared with People magazine,” He said, “I won’t be here forever. I want you to be happy. You’re young. I want you to have a full life next to me.”

“And of course I thought, ‘What? I don’t want to talk about that. Turn the TV back on.'”

Wanda was Kenny’s fifth wife and they were the parents of twins Justin and Jordan, 19.

Heartbreak: Wanda, 56, was devastated when Kenny died aged 81 in March 2020; pictured in 2014

She added, “One of the big things is showing the boys that life goes on. And it does — I’m dating someone very special.”

Wanda expressed her gratitude for marrying her late husband when she remarked, “Kenny gave me the very best and he wanted me to move on and be happy.

“That’s a really big man to be able to say those words and mean it. I think it just shows what kind of man he was.’

The couple married in 1997 and welcomed their sons seven years later.

Kenny also fathered three other children from his previous relationships.

Wanda revealed that she was introduced to her new partner by one of the singer’s friends and the man previously dated her sister.

The links to her past have convinced her that Kenny was somehow involved in the matchmaking process.

She explained, ‘[Kenny’s friend] introduced me to a friend of his and he said, “Look, if you don’t date each other, you’ll be friends forever. He’ll be in your friend arsenal forever.” And in the beginning we became friends.’

Family of four: The couple got married in 1997 and welcomed their sons seven years later

Precious: Kenny, Wanda and their identical twins posed with the family’s dog

Wanted added: “It’s funny because a few of my friends said, “I just really feel like Kenny is somehow a part of this.” And I know that sounds weird.’

She told the publication that her new partner “says to our children, ‘I’m not your father. No one will ever take your father’s place, but I’m here forever as your friend.'”

And she admitted, “It’s been big shoes to step into after having a very special relationship with this icon all these years.

“But it’s been a really easy relationship.”

Rogers died of natural causes in March 2020 at his home in Sandy Springs, northern Fulton County, Georgia.

The statement announcing his death read: “The Rogers family is saddened to announce that Kenny Rogers passed away at 10:25 p.m. last night at the age of 81.

“Rogers died of natural causes at home under hospice care and surrounded by his family.”

The husky-voiced balladeer retired from touring in 2017 after a 60-year career spanning jazz, folk, country and pop, with hits such as The Gambler, Lucille and Lady.

Kenny sold tens of millions of albums, won three Grammys, and was the star of TV movies based on The Gambler and other songs that made him superstar in the 1970s and 1980s.

Despite his crossover success, he was always preferred as a country singer.

In 2015 he said, “Either you do what everyone else is doing and you do it better, or you do what no one else is doing and you don’t invite comparison.

And I chose that way because I could never be better than Johnny Cash or Willie or Waylon at what they did.

So I found something I could do that didn’t invite comparison. And I think people thought my desire was to change country music. But that was never my problem.’

Throughout his career, Kenny regularly worked with female duet partners, but more memorable than most was Country icon Dolly Parton and their song Islands in the Stream.

The iconic duo were paired after a suggestion from Bee Gee Barry Gibb, who wrote the tune, which later became a huge hit.