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Renowned country songwriter Don Schlitz, best known for penning the iconic “The Gambler,” has passed away at the age of 73.
Originally from North Carolina, Schlitz died on Thursday in a Nashville hospital due to a sudden illness, as reported by the Grand Ole Opry. The exact cause of death remains undisclosed.
Country Music Association CEO, Sarah Trahern, expressed her sorrow in a statement released on Friday: “We are devastated by the loss of Don Schlitz. His devotion to his family, his North Carolina roots, and his passion for songs and fellow songwriters was unmatched.”
“That love was evident in every space he occupied, every stage he graced, and in every word he crafted,” she continued.
Trahern fondly recalled a recent evening they spent together: “As we were leaving after dinner, Don picked up a guitar and began to play. That’s the image I will cherish—Don with his guitar, smiling. His musical legacy will endure, inspiring countless artists and writers. He will be profoundly missed.”
Echoing that sentiment, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said, “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 helped shape the sound and soul of artists like Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis and The Judds.
His lyrics fueled hits including “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “When You Say Nothing at All,” recorded by Keith Whitley and later by Alison Krauss.
Schlitz was born in 1952 and raised in Durham before packing his bags and heading to Nashville.
The country star was later inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“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,” he said in 2017. “That’s the only way I can deal with this.”
His breakout moment came with “The Gambler,” recorded by Rogers in 1978, a song that didn’t just define an era.
It expanded country music’s reach into the mainstream.
Rogers later praised Schlitz, saying, “Don doesn’t just write songs. He writes careers.”
Schlitz went on to pen tracks for a wide range of artists, from Tanya Tucker to Mary Chapin Carpenter, and even reunited Rogers with Dolly Parton for “You Can’t Make Old Friends.”
Despite his behind-the-scenes role, Schlitz earned a front-row place in country music history.
He was named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year four straight years from 1988 to 1991 and made history at the Opry as its only non-performing songwriter inductee in a century.
He debuted there in 2017 and joined as a member in 2022, a rare honor that underscored his influence far beyond the spotlight.
The Opry’s Saturday night show served as a tribute to his legacy.
Schlitz is survived by his wife, Stacey, his children and grandchildren — daughter Cory Dixon and her husband Matt Dixon; son Pete Schlitz and his wife Christian Webb Schlitz; grandchildren Roman, Gia, Isla and Lilah; brother Brad Schlitz; and sister Kathy Hinkley.