Kenny Rogers’ widow Wanda Miller, 56, reveals she’s found love again – three years after singer’s death aged 81… and says music icon gave her his blessing to move on

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

Wanda, 56, was left devastated when Kenny died in March 2020 at the age of 81, but she’s now revealed 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’m not going to be here forever. I want you to be happy. You’re young. I want you to have a full life past me.”

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

Wanda was Kenny’s fifth wife and they were parents to twin boys Justin and Jordan, 19.

Heartbreak: Wanda, 56, was left devastated when Kenny died in March 2020 at the age of 81; pictured in 2014

She added, ‘One of the big things is to show the boys that life goes on. And it does – I’m dating someone very special.’

Wanda expressed gratitude for her marriage with her late husband as she noted, ‘Kenny gave me his 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 the kind of guy he was.’

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

Kenny was also dad to three other children from his previous relationships.

Wanda revealed 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 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 is going to be in your friend arsenal forever.” And we became friends at first.’

Family-of-four: The couple 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’s a part of this somehow.” And I know that sounds weird.’

She told the publication that her new partner ‘tells our kids, “I’m not your dad. No one will ever take the place of your dad, but I’m here as your friend forever.”‘

And she admitted, ‘It’s been big shoes to step into after I was with this icon for all these years in a very special relationship.

‘But it’s really been an easy relationship.’

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

The statement announcing his death 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.’

The husky-voiced balladeer retired from touring in 2017 after a 60-year career spanning jazz, folk, country and pop, with hits like, 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, earning him super stardom in the 70s and 80s.

Despite his crossover success, he always preferred to be thought of as a country singer.

In 2015, he said: ‘You either 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 that I could do that didn’t invite comparison to them. And I think people thought it was my desire to change country music. But that was never my issue.’

Over 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 following a suggestion by Bee Gee Barry Gibb, who penned the tune, which went on to become a huge hit.