The man who wrote the Kenny Rogers hit, “The Gambler,” has died.
Don Schlitz was 73 years old.
The Grand Ole Opry confirmed his death on April 16, but did not provide details.
Rolling Stone reported that his death came after a sudden illness and that he passed away at a Nashville hospital.
Schlitz was born in North Carolina in 1952 and was raised in Durham, eventually moving to Nashville, The Associated Press reported
His first recorded song was the hit, “The Gambler, which the AP called ”his most enduring hit and the tent-pole of his legacy."
It was five times platinum after it was recorded by Rogers in 1978 and was not only a country hit but also made it on the pop charts as well.
Schlitz told ASCAP that he wrote the song shortly after meeting with his mentor songwriter Bob McDill. He was only 23 and wrote most of the song in his head as he walked back to his apartment after the meeting.
“I typed it out. Everything but the last verse,” Schlitz said. “I spent six weeks writing scenarios for the end of the song. Finally, I decided to respect the listener, and I wrote the last eight lines and let the listener decide what happened.”
The Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted Schlitz in 2012 and during the ceremony, Rogers, said, “Don doesn’t just write songs. He writes careers.”
In addition to writing “The Gambler,” he also wrote other hits, “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” and “The Greatest,” performed by singers such as Randy Travis, The Judds, Tanya Tucker, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and countless others, the AP reported.
The Grand Ole Opry’s Executive Producer, Dan Rogers, said, “How ironic that a man who had such an incredible way with words has left so many of us without any. Don was a gift to country music and a most beloved part of our Opry family. He was a hero and a friend, and we will never forget him.”
Saturday’s show at the Opry will be dedicated to Schlitz.
He left behind his wife, daughter, son, their spouses, grandchildren and his siblings, the AP reported.
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