Don Schlitz, the acclaimed country music songwriter behind iconic hits such as "The Gambler," "On the Other Hand," and "Forever and Ever, Amen," has died at the age of 73. He passed away on Thursday at a Nashville hospital.
The cause of his death was not immediately disclosed, though a press release from the Grand Ole Opry attributed it to a sudden illness.
A two-time Grammy Award winner, Schlitz was a revered figure in the music industry, inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Reflecting on his Country Music Hall of Fame honour in 2017, he stated: "I will never be able to believe that I deserve this, unless I receive it as a representative of my family, my mentors, my collaborators, my promoters and my friends. That’s the only way I can deal with this."
Schlitz made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 2017 and was subsequently inducted in 2022, notably becoming the only non-artist to receive this distinction in the venue’s century-long history. The historic Saturday night show at the Opry will be dedicated in his memory.
His prolific career also saw him named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year for four consecutive years, from 1988 to 1991. Beyond country music, he penned the music and lyrics for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a Broadway musical that premiered in 1999.
Schlitz’s compositions are widely regarded as some of country music’s most enduring, recorded by a host of celebrated artists. These include Kenny Rogers ("The Gambler," "The Greatest"), Randy Travis ("On the Other Hand," "Forever and Ever, Amen"), The Judds ("I Know Where I’m Going"), The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ("I Love Only You"), Tanya Tucker ("I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love"), and Mary Chapin Carpenter ("He Thinks He’ll Keep Her"), among many others. He also co-wrote "You Can’t Make Old Friends" for Rogers and Dolly Parton, marking their first duet since 1983’s "Islands in the Stream."
A native of North Carolina, born in Durham in 1952, Schlitz moved to Nashville to pursue his musical ambitions. His first recorded song, "The Gambler," remains arguably his most iconic and a cornerstone of his legacy. Recorded by Kenny Rogers in 1978 and certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the track was instrumental in opening doors for country music in the 1970s, achieving massive success not only within the genre but also as a significant pop crossover hit. As Kenny Rogers famously remarked when inducting Schlitz into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012: "Don doesn’t just write songs. He writes careers."
Tributes have poured in for the late songwriter. Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, expressed her sorrow in a statement on Friday: "We are heartbroken by the news of the passing of Don Schlitz. Don loved his family, his home state of North Carolina, and above all, songs and songwriters.
He carried that love into every room, every stage and every lyric he ever wrote. Not long ago, we shared a dinner, and as we were leaving, Don picked up a guitar and began to play. That is how I will always remember him, smiling and with a guitar in his hand. His legacy lives on through his music and the many artists and writers he inspired. He will be deeply missed."
Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, added: "Don Schlitz’s place as a songwriting great would be secure had he never written ‘The Gambler’ or had he only written ‘The Gambler.’ Nashville was richer for his presence and is lesser for his absence."
Schlitz is survived by his wife, Stacey; his daughter, Cory Dixon, and her husband, Matt Dixon; his son, Pete Schlitz, and his wife, Christian Webb Schlitz; his grandchildren, Roman, Gia, Isla, and Lilah; his brother, Brad Schlitz; and his sister, Kathy Hinkley.
