American country music legend Kenny Rogers has died aged 81.

A family representative said he “passed away peacefully at home from natural causes”.

Rogers topped pop and country charts during the 1970s and 1980s, and won three Grammy awards.

Known for his husky voice and ballads including The Gambler, Lucille and Coward Of The County, his career spanned more than six decades.

He once summed up his popularity by explaining that he believed his song “say what every man wants to say and that every woman wants to hear”.

He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013 and, that same year, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Country Music Association.

In their statement his family said he “left an indelible mark on the history of American music”.

A keen businessman, Rogers also led several ventures over the years, mainly in property and the restaurant sector.

He was married five times and had five children.

(BBC)