Don Schlitz profile picture

Don Schlitz

About Me

Don Schlitz was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. He briefly attended Duke University before moving to Nashville in 1973. His first recorded song, The Gambler, won a Grammy and the Country Music Association’s and the Academy of Country Music’s Song of the Year. Don's songs have played major roles in the careers of Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, The Judds, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tanya Tucker, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alison Krauss, and many other singers. His fifty Top Ten’s have included twenty-four Number One’s. He also wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. Schlitz was the ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year for four consecutive years from 1988-91. He has won three CMA Song of the Year awards, two ACM Song of the Year awards, two Grammy’s, and many more nominations. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association’s Hall of Fame in 1993. Schlitz lives, writes, and performs in Nashville, most often with Thom Schuyler, J. Fred Knobloch, and Jelly Roll Johnson.(check out: www.thomschuyler.com , www.jfredk.com , www.jellyrolljohnson.com )

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 5/31/2007
Band Members: SKSJ stands for Thom Schuyler, J. Fred Knobloch, Don Schlitz, and Jelly Roll Johnson. We perform in the round, in the middle of the Bluebird, facing each other. Fred and I came up with the idea (margaritas and a napkin were involved, as best I recall), asked Amy Kurland, the owner of the Bluebird, and she let us try it out. It seems to have worked. Before the first show, Thom said he didn't like the idea. After the show, he said he never wanted to play any other way. We've been playing itr for over 22 years, which is pretty amazing, considering that I'm only 29...and a half. D4A$ stands for Don for a Dollar, at the Bluebird, sometimes with special (unannounced) guests. And yes, it's only a dollar, thanks to Amy Kurland! I personally consider it to be the best entertainment value in Green Hills. Sometimes, people get a buck and a quarter, buck and a half's worth of music and mirth. (note: you get to keep the mirth. it's non-returnable.)Couldn’t get reservations or just can’t make it into town for a D4A$ or SKSJ show? You can still see the show - live - on Second Life. Go set up an account now: www.bluebirdcafesl.com See you there!
Influences:the weather. the internet. The New York Times, especially the crossword puzzle from Monday to Thursday. exercise. baseball. books, in particular almanacs and reference books. Webster's Compact Rhyming Dictionary. food. television. whether Duke won or lost between November & April. how I slept. what my kids think is cool. and mostly Stacey.
Sounds Like: a scam to me....
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

A New Song

For the first time since starting this page, I've added a new song. The recording is from last night's Bluebird gig with SKSJ (Thom Schuyler, Fred Knobloch, and Jelly Roll Johnson). It was the first t...
Posted by on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:44:00 GMT

Bluebird dates posted

I've posted the Bluebird gig dates for 2009. Now you can plan your vacation. (This can work both ways...if you want to see a SKSJ or D4A$ gig...or if you want to be far, far away!)
Posted by on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:05:00 GMT

Why Be a Songwriter?

In the end, there is only one engulfing reason to be a songwriter&the love of music, the joy of creating. If youre doing it for money, forget it. The percentage of writers who make fortunes is s...
Posted by on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:06:00 GMT

The Task of an American Writer by John Cheever

The task of an American writer is not to describe the misgivings of a woman taken in adultery as she looks out of a window at the rain but to describe four hundred people under the lights reaching for...
Posted by on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:05:00 GMT

Tom Roland article on Don's Valentine's Day Gamble

Don Schlitz Took a Gamble on Valentines DayPosted: February 14th, 2008 at 5:02 pm | By: Tom Roland Valentines Day, from a guys point of view, is an occasion thats made up to create guilt. Chris...
Posted by on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:02:00 GMT

Peter Cooper and the Guy With the Blackberry

Saga Of Schlitz, "The Gambler" and That DudePosted on Tennessean by PeterCooper at 12/30/2008 3:05 PM CST Monday night, Don Schlitz was singing and playing at The Bluebird. Mike Henderson was supposed...
Posted by on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:57:00 GMT

Q & A with Don Schlitz - Round 1

Recently, Jaime and Margaret sat down with Don to ask him questions and then they stood up and tried this new thing called e-mail. These are the questions. These are the answers. This is the city. Fee...
Posted by on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:20:00 GMT

Q & A with Don Schlitz - Round 2

16. So, you've won two Grammys - Care to comment?Was it Linda Ronstadt who said "Don't take them too seriously, and don't give them back?"  I think so.  No offense to NARAS, but I like my three CMA aw...
Posted by on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:49:00 GMT

Don's Picks: Movies, Television, Books

We asked Don to tell us some of his favorites in these areas:Movies:The Americanization of Emily, Network, The Graduate, Little Miss Sunshine, Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School, Th...
Posted by on Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:29:00 GMT

Don Schlitz Hit List

The Gambler (Kenny Rogers)Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain (The Judds)Forever and Ever, Amen (Randy Travis)When You Say Nothing at All (Keith Whitley, Allison Kraus, & Ronan Keating)I Feel Luck...
Posted by on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:45:00 GMT