In the early 1980s, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton were two of the biggest stars in country music. Noth artists came into the decade with several No. 1 singles under their belts. So, when they teamed up for “Island in the Stream” in 1983, no one was surprised to see it become a multi-week No. 1. However, the duet quickly took on a life of its own. It has since been hailed as one of the greatest duets ever recorded. At the same time, the performers’ onstage chemistry made many fans believe that they had a romantic relationship.

In 2005, Country Music Television viewers voted “Islands in the Stream” the best country duet. During the network’s 100 Greatest Duets special, Parton and Rogers took the stage to perform the song together for the first time in over a decade. Their performance showed a new generation of fans the onstage chemistry that started rumors and led ot endless speculation about what was going on behind the scenes.

Kenny Rogers Recalls Flirting with Dolly Parton in Front of Thousands of Fans

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton had met in passing before they recorded “Islands in the Stream.” However, they didn’t really know one another. This changed quickly, though. The recording session was the beginning of a decades-long friendship between the pair of stars. Despite what people think, though, that’s all it was.

Rogers addressed the rumors about his relationship with Parton during an interview with Dan Rather. When asked if the stars shared a romantic relationship, Rogers denied it, saying that he had met Parton’s husband, Carl Dean. Additionally, he was married at the time.

“We flirted with each other for thirty years,” Rogers said. “We did some massive flirting in front of the nation, but there was never anything more than that,” he added.

The song that better reflects the reality of their relationship is their 2013 duet “You Can’t Make Old Friends.” Don Schlitz co-wrote the song with Ryan King and Caitlyn Smith, with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton in mind.