Don Schlitz, Songwriter of 'The Gambler', Passes Away at 73

Don Schlitz, the songwriter behind the iconic poker song 'The Gambler', passed away last week at the age of 73. Schlitz wrote the song in 1976 at age 23. It was his first-ever recorded tune, made famous by country and western music legend Kenny Rogers.

Schlitz came up with the song while walking home from work at Vanderbilt University. The young songwriter didn’t have a car and was forced to walk a few miles home from work. One day, he came up with the entire song while walking home. The song 'The Gambler' reached No. 1 on the US country charts and was a crossover hit in the pop and adult contemporary genres. Beyond America, 'The Gambler' charted well in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The song 'The Gambler' inspired five western television movies in the 1980s and 1990s starring Kenny Rogers as 'The Gambler'. The song 'The Gambler' earned Schlitz a Grammy. That success helped launch his career and more hits followed.