Don Schlitz

A 2012 inductee in to the Songwriters Hall of Popularity, Don Schlitz was among Nashville’s preeminent songwriters and the writer of several chart-topping hits through the ’70s, ’80s, and beyond. He was a indigenous of Durham, NEW YORK, and after a brief stint at Duke College or university in the first ’70s, he shifted to Nashville, functioning being a graveyard-shift pc operator for five years while honing his songwriting abilities. Schlitz received his initial break in 1978, when Kenny Rogers got a monster strike along with his “The Gambler.” The main smash not merely became among Rogers’ signature tracks, but also gained Schlitz his to begin three CMA Tune of the entire year Awards. 2 yrs after its discharge, Schlitz released an record of his very own on Capitol Information, Dreamers Matinee, and continuing to release even more solo materials — including I Knew Jack port Durham, Allergic to Crazy, Greatest Strikes, as well as the holiday-themed Superstar for the Tree — through the pursuing decades. Through the ’80s and ’90s, a great many other prominent performers recorded his tunes, including Randy Travis, Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire, the Judds, Nitty Gritty Dirt Music group, Garth Brooks, and Keith Whitley. Schlitz regularly co-wrote tunes with Paul Overstreet; among their most recognized collaborations was the Grammy-winning “Forever and Ever Amen,” which became a massive strike for Travis. Another was “When You State Almost nothing,” which became a chart-topper for Whitley in 1988, lots three strike for Alison Krauss in 1995, and lots a unitary for Ronan Keating in 1999. Schlitz also teamed up with Mary Chapin Carpenter, co-writing four singles on her behalf Come on SERIOUSLY album. Three of these singles visited number one. The next decade discovered Schlitz composing the music and lyrics towards the Broadway musical The Activities of Tom Sawyer, even while continuing to create tunes and perform in Nashville.