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Don Schlitz

Donald Allen Schlitz Jr. (born August 29, 1952) is an American songwriter who has written more than a score of number one hits on the country music charts. He is best known for his song "The Gambler" (Kenny Rogers), and as the co-writer of "Forever and Ever, Amen" (Randy Travis), and "When You Say Nothing at All" (Keith Whitley and Alison Krauss & Union Station). For his songwriting efforts, Schlitz has earned two Grammy Awards, and four ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards.

Don Schlitz

Donald Alan Schlitz Jr.[1]

(1952-08-29) August 29, 1952

Singer-songwriter

Harmonica, guitar, bass, vocals

1978–present

Schlitz has been inducted in to four different halls of fame: the national Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame,[2] and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. On August 30, 2022, he was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.[3][4]

Songwriting career[edit]

Schlitz' first hit as a songwriter was Kenny Rogers's "The Gambler", which became a crossover country hit upon its release in 1978, later becoming one of Rogers's signature songs.[5] In 2018, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".[6] Since then, Schlitz has written numerous country songs and penned several hits for other country artists. Among his biggest hits are two Number One songs which he co-wrote with Paul Overstreet, "Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis and "When You Say Nothing at All" by Keith Whitley. He has 24 number 1 hits on the Country Charts.[7]


United States President George H. W. Bush also commissioned Schlitz to write a theme song for his "Points of Light" program.[5] This song, "Point of Light", was a No. 3 country hit for Randy Travis in 1991.


Schlitz also worked with Kenny Rogers again in 1998. Rogers joked at the time that "every 20 years I will record a Don Schlitz song". The result was a baseball-themed hit single called "The Greatest". Rogers also recorded several more of his songs in 2013 for his best-selling You Can't Make Old Friends album.

Musicals[edit]

He composed the music for the musical The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Recordings[edit]

In addition to writing hit singles for other artists, Schlitz has recorded three albums of his own. The first, titled Dreamers' Matinee, was released in 1980 on Capitol Records. A live compilation, titled Live at the Bluebird Café, was released in 2001. In 2010, Schlitz released another studio album of new material, Allergic to Crazy.

"" by Alabama*

40 Hour Week (For a Livin')

"" by Mark Chesnutt*

Almost Goodbye

"" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with John Denver

And So It Goes

"" by Paul Overstreet

Ball and Chain

"" by Kathy Mattea and Tim O'Brien

The Battle Hymn of Love

"" by The Bellamy Brothers

The Center of My Universe

"" by Sara Evans

Cheatin'

"" by The Bellamy Brothers

Crazy from the Heart

"" by Michael Johnson

Crying Shame

"" by Paul Overstreet*

Daddy's Come Around

"" by Randy Travis*

Deeper Than the Holler

"Didn't We Shine" by

Waylon Jennings

"" by Randy Travis*

Forever and Ever, Amen

"" by Kenny Rogers

The Gambler

"" by Michael Johnson*

Give Me Wings

"" by Lorrie Morgan

Good as I Was to You

"" by Kenny Rogers

The Greatest

"" by The Judds

Guardian Angels

"" by Mary Chapin Carpenter

He Thinks He'll Keep Her

"Heart of the Matter" by (1980), Loretta Lynn (1983)

The Kendalls

"" by Randy Travis

Heroes and Friends

"" by Ronnie Milsap

Houston Solution

"" by The Bellamy Brothers

I Could Be Persuaded

"" by Mary Chapin Carpenter

I Feel Lucky

"" by The Judds*

I Know Where I'm Going

"" by Mary Chapin Carpenter

I Take My Chances

"" by John Berry

I Think About It All the Time

"" by Collin Raye

I Think About You

"" by Lionel Cartwright

I Watched It All (On My Radio)

"" by Tanya Tucker with Paul Overstreet and Paul Davis*

I Won't Take Less Than Your Love

"" by Paul Overstreet

If I Could Bottle This Up

"If I Never See Midnight Again" by

Sweethearts of the Rodeo

"" by George Strait

If You Can Do Anything Else

"" by Lee Greenwood

I'll Be Lovin' You

"" by SHeDAISY

In Terms of Love

"" by Garth Brooks

Learning to Live Again

"Leaving's Not an Option" by

Chris Cummings

"" by Lionel Cartwright

Like Father Like Son

"" by Baillie & the Boys

Long Shot

"Looking for a Sign" by

Chris Cummings

"" by Ty Herndon

Loved Too Much

"" by Sweethearts of the Rodeo

Midnight Girl/Sunset Town

"" by Tanya Tucker

My Arms Stay Open All Night

"" by Mary Chapin Carpenter with Joe Diffie

Not Too Much to Ask

"" by Baillie & the Boys

Oh Heart

"" by John Conlee

Old School

"" by Randy Travis*

On the Other Hand

"" by Reba McEntire*

One Promise Too Late

"" by Randy Travis

Point of Light

"" by Paul Overstreet

Richest Man on Earth

"" by Pam Tillis

The River and the Highway

"Ready and Waiting" by

Deborah Allen

"" by The Judds*

Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain

"" by Sweethearts of the Rodeo

Satisfy You

" by Restless Heart

Say What's in Your Heart

"Say Yes" by

Dusty Drake

"" by Baillie & the Boys

She Deserves You

"" by Paul Overstreet

Sowin' Love

"" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Stand a Little Rain

"" by Tanya Tucker*

Strong Enough to Bend

"" by The Oak Ridge Boys

True Heart

"" by The Judds*

Turn It Loose

"" by Keith Whitley* (later covered by Alison Krauss & Union Station and Ronan Keating. Keating's version was in the film Notting Hill, and made it to number one on the British charts.)

When You Say Nothing at All

"" by Lee Ann Womack

Why They Call It Falling

"" by The Forester Sisters*

You Again

"" by The Bellamy Brothers

You'll Never Be Sorry

Singles written or co-written by Don Schlitz include the following. Asterisks denote songs which reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard country charts.

1979 – – Song of the Year (The Gambler)

Country Music Association

1979 – – Country Song of the Year (The Gambler)

Grammy

1986 – – Song of the Year (On the Other Hand)

Country Music Association

1986 – – Song of the Year (On the Other Hand)

Academy of Country Music

1986 – Nashville Songwriters Association International—Song of the Year (On the Other Hand)

1987 – – Song of the Year (Forever and Ever, Amen)

Country Music Association

1988 – – Country Song of the Year (Forever and Ever, Amen)

Grammy

1988–1991 – – Country Songwriter of the Year

ASCAP

2010 – Inducted into the .[8]

North Carolina Music Hall of Fame

2017 – Inducted into the

Country Music Hall of Fame