NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Don Schlitz, the storied country music songwriter known for such hits as 鈥淭he Gambler,鈥� 鈥淥n the Other Hand鈥� and 鈥淔orever and Ever, Amen,鈥� died Thursday at a Nashville hospital. He was 73.
The cause of death was not immediately known. A press release from the Grand Ole Opry described it as a sudden illness.
The two-time was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. 鈥淚 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,鈥� in 2017, when he learned of the Country Music Hall of Fame honor. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the only way I can deal with this.鈥�
Schlitz made his debut in 2017 and was later inducted in 2022. He is the only non-artist to receive the honor in the Opry鈥檚 100 years. The historic venue’s Saturday night show will be dedicated in his honor.
He was named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year for four consecutive years, from 1988 through 1991. He also wrote music and lyrics for 鈥淭he Adventures of Tom Sawyer,鈥� the 1999 Broadway musical.
Schlitz’s songs are widely considered some of the most unwavering in country music, and have been recorded by such hitmakers as (鈥淭he Gambler,鈥� 鈥淭he Greatest鈥�), (鈥淥n the Other Hand,鈥� 鈥淔orever and Ever, Amen鈥�), The Judds (鈥淚 Know Where I鈥檓 Going鈥�), The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (鈥淚 Love Only You,鈥�) Tanya Tucker (鈥淚 Won鈥檛 Take Less Than Your Love,鈥�) Mary Chapin Carpenter (鈥淗e Thinks He鈥檒l Keep Her鈥�) and many others.
He also wrote 鈥淵ou Can鈥檛 Make Old Friends鈥� for Rogers and Dolly Parton; their first duet since 1983’s 鈥淚slands in the Stream.鈥�
Schlitz, a North Carolina native, was born in 1952 and raised in Durham before packing his bags and heading to Nashville. His first recorded song, 鈥淭he Gambler,鈥� is perhaps his most enduring hit and the tent-pole of his legacy. The song, which was recorded by Rogers in 1978 and certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), opened doors for country music in the ’70s, a track that was not only a huge genre hit but also a pop crossover one.
As Rogers said when he inducted Schlitz into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012, 鈥淒on doesn鈥檛 just write songs. He writes careers.鈥�
鈥淲e 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,鈥� Sarah Trahern, Country Music Association CEO, wrote in a statement Friday. 鈥淣ot 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.鈥�
鈥淒on Schlitz鈥檚 place as a songwriting great would be secure had he never written 鈥楾he Gambler鈥� or had he only written 鈥楾he Gambler,鈥欌�� Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, wrote in a statement Friday. 鈥淣ashville was richer for his presence and is lesser for his absence.鈥�
Schlitz is survived by his wife Stacey, 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.
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