Don Schlitz, Revered Songwriter Behind ‘The Gambler,’ ‘Forever and Ever, Amen,’ ‘When You Say Nothing at All’ and Other Country Classics, Dies at 73

Home Music Obituaries Apr 19, 2026 3:32pm PT Don Schlitz, Revered Songwriter Behind ‘The Gambler,’ ‘Forever and Ever, Amen,’ ‘When You Say Nothing at All’ and Other Country Classics, Dies at 73 By Chris Willman Plus Icon Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic ChrisWillman Latest Ella Langley’s ‘Dandelion’ Debuts at No. 1 on Album Chart, Following a Six-Week Run by ‘Choosin’ Texas’ Atop the Hot 100 3 hours ago Indigo Girls Receive Outpouring of Love After Emily Saliers Tearfully Acknowledges Two Incurable Conditions Affecting Tour Vocals: ‘I Hope You Can Have Some Grace With My Struggles’ 5 hours ago The Strokes End Coachella Set With Video Condemning U.S. and Israeli Bombings in Iran and Gaza 8 hours ago See All Rick Diamond/Getty Images Don Schlitz, one of the most widely revered names in the history of country music songwriting, died April 16 in a Nashville hospital after what was described as a sudden illness. He was 73. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Schlitz may be best recognized by the public as the sole author of one of country’s most iconic singles, and possibly the genre’s most quoted song ever: “The Gambler,” a country-pop crossover smash for Kenny Rogers in 1978. It was the first song he ever had recorded by someone, but it was not all downhill from there. Related Stories 'Extraction 3' Set at Netflix With Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba Returning