Singer-songwriter born in Durham, North Carolina, who scored a Country Music Association and Grammy Song of the Year right out of the gates with his first-ever release, “The Gambler”, recorded by Kenny Rogers in 1978.
Other awards followed: ” On the Other Hand” and “Forever and Ever Amen”, both co-written with Paul Overstreet and recorded by Randy Travis, received the Academyof Country Music and CMA awards, in 1986 and 1987, respectively. The latter also won a Grammy.
Schlitz won ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year award four years in a row, between 1988 and 1991, a feat that has not been duplicated by any writer in any genre. In 1993, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and six years later, into the North Carolina Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.
A performer himself, he has released two albums of his own material, Dreamers Matinee and Live at the Bluebird Cafi. He also composed songs for the 2001 Broadway musical The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Former President Bush commissioned him to come up with a theme song for his “Points of Light” campaign.
Kenny Rogers recordings
The Gambler (Don Schlitz)
Sources: