Don Schlitz Honored At ACM Awards, With Blake Shelton Closing Out The Ceremony With “The Gambler”
on May 17, 2026
Legendary Songwriter Don Schlitz Was Praised By ACM Presenter Michael Bublé, And Celebrated In Song By Blake Shelton
On April 16, songwriter and artist Don Schlitz died at the age of 73.
Known for writing songs like Randy Travis’ 1987 “Forever and Ever, Amen” as well as Kenny Rogers’ 1978 “The Gambler,” Schlitz earned a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame after decades of hits, having been inducted in 2017.
Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame, said of Schlitz, “Don Schlitz’s place as a songwriting great would be secure had he never written ‘The Gambler’ or had he only written ‘The Gambler.’”
Early in the evening, award presenter Michael Bublé gave mention to Schlitz as he introduced the category for the ACM Award for Song of the Year.
“Last month, country music lost a great songwriter, named Don Schlitz,” Bublé said. “If you don’t know Don’s name, trust me, you know his timeless songs, like “The Gambler,” made famous by Kenny Rogers.”
From there, Bublé then mentioned two songs by Schlitz that Randy Travis performed: “On The Other Hand” and “Forever and Ever, Amen”
Bublé then sang part of the chorus to “Forever and Ever, Amen,” a moment which can be seen here:
Later on in the program, Blake Shelton closed out the ceremony by honoring the memory of Schlitz with a performance of “The Gambler.”
To accompany this performance, Shelton recorded his rendition of the song as an Amazon Music Original, which can be streamed here:
Compare Blake Shelton’s new recording of the indelible country song to his performance of it from 20 years ago at the 2006 Cracker Barrel Songs of the Year Concert, here:
RELATED: Don Schlitz, Beloved Songwriter Behind “The Gambler,” Dies At Age 73
