Don Schlitz

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Don Schlitz
Background information
Birth name	Donald Alan Schlitz, Jr.[1]
Born	August 29, 1952 (1952-08-29) (age 57)
Origin	Durham, North Carolina, United States
Genres	Country
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1978-present
Associated acts	Kenny Rogers

Donald Alan (Don) Schlitz, Jr. (born August 29, 1952 in Durham, North Carolina) is a country music songwriter. For his songwriting efforts, Schlitz has earned two Grammys, as well as four ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards. Since 1993, Schlitz has also been a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[2]

Songwriting career

Schlitz' first hit as a songwriter was Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler", which became a crossover country hit upon its release in 1978, later becoming one of Rogers' signature songs.^[2] Since then, Schlitz has written numerous country songs and penned several hits for other country artists. Among his biggest hits are two Number One songs which he co-wrote with Paul Overstreet, "Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis and "When You Say Nothing at All" by Keith Whitley.

United States President George H. W. Bush also commissioned Schlitz to write a theme song for his "Points of Light" program.^[2] This song, "Point of Light", was a #3 country hit for Travis in 1991.

Recordings

In addition to writing hit singles for other artists, Schlitz has recorded two albums of his own. The first, titled Dreamers' Matinee, was released in 1980 on Capitol Records. A live compilation, titled Live at the Bluebird Café, was released in 2001.

Singles

Singles co-written by Don Schlitz

This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Singles written or co-written by Don Schlitz include the following. Asterisks denote songs which reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard country charts.

• "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" by Alabama*
• "Almost Goodbye" by Mark Chesnutt*
• "Ball and Chain" by Paul Overstreet
• "The Battle Hymn of Love" by Kathy Mattea and Tim O'Brien
• "The Center of My Universe" by The Bellamy Brothers
• "Cheatin'" by Sara Evans
• "Crazy From the Heart" by The Bellamy Brothers
• "Crying Shame" by Michael Johnson
• "Daddy's Come Around" by Paul Overstreet*
• "Deeper Than the Holler" by Randy Travis*
• "Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis*
• "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers, Clint Snow, Johnny Cash and Merge*
• "Give Me Wings" by Michael Johnson*
• "Good As I Was to You" by Lorrie Morgan
• "The Greatest" by Kenny Rogers
• "Guardian Angels" by The Judds
• "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" by Mary Chapin Carpenter
• "Heart of the Matter" by The Kendalls (1980), Loretta Lynn (1983)
• "Heroes and Friends" by Randy Travis
• "Houston Solution" by Ronnie Milsap
• "I Could Be Persuaded" by The Bellamy Brothers
• "I Feel Lucky" by Mary Chapin Carpenter
• "I Know Where I'm Going" by The Judds*
• "I Take My Chances" by Mary Chapin Carpenter
• "I Think About It All the Time" by John Berry
• "I Think About You" by Collin Raye
• "I Watched It All (On My Radio)" by Lionel Cartwright
• "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love" by Tanya Tucker with Paul Overstreet and Paul Davis*
• "(I'd Choose) You Again" by The Forester Sisters*
• "If I Could Bottle This Up" by Paul Overstreet
• "If I Never See Midnight Again" by Sweethearts of the Rodeo
• "If You Can Do Anything Else" by George Strait
• "I'll Be Lovin' You" by Lee Greenwood
• "In Terms of Love" by SHeDAISY
• "Learning to Live Again" by Garth Brooks
• "Like Father, Like Son" by Lionel Cartwright
• "Long Shot" by Baillie & the Boys
• "Loved Too Much" by Ty Herndon
• "Midnight Girl/Sunset Town" by Sweethearts of the Rodeo
• "My Arms Stay Open All Night" by Tanya Tucker
• "Not Too Much to Ask" by Mary Chapin Carpenter with Joe Diffie
• "Oh Heart" by Baillie & the Boys
• "Old School" by John Conlee
• "On the Other Hand" by Randy Travis*
• "One Promise Too Late" by Reba McEntire*
• "Point of Light" by Randy Travis
• "Richest Man on Earth" by Paul Overstreet
• "The River and the Highway" by Pam Tillis
• "Ready and Waiting" by Deborah Allen
• "Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain" by The Judds*
• "Satisfy You" by Sweethearts of the Rodeo
• "Say Yes" by Dusty Drake
• "She Deserves You" by Baillie & the Boys
• "She Said, He Heard" by Suzy Bogguss
• "Sowin' Love" by Paul Overstreet
• "Strong Enough to Bend" by Tanya Tucker*
• "True Heart" by The Oak Ridge Boys
• "Turn It Loose" by The Judds*
• "When You Say Nothing at All" by Keith Whitley* (later covered by Alison Krauss & Union Station)
• "Why They Call It Falling" by Lee Ann Womack
• "You'll Never Be Sorry" by The Bellamy Brothers

Awards

• 1979--Country Music Association--Song of the Year (The Gambler)
• 1979--Grammy--Country Song of the Year (The Gambler)
• 1986--Country Music Association--Song of the Year (On the Other Hand)
• 1986--Academy of Country Music--Song of the Year (On the Other Hand)
• 1986—Nashville Songwriters Association International—Song of the Year (On the Other Hand)
• 1987--Country Music Association--Song of the Year (Forever and Ever, Amen)
• 1988--Grammy--Country Song of the Year (Forever and Ever, Amen)
• 1988-1991--ASCAP--Country Songwriter of the Year

References