Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees 2012 Include ‘Gambler’ Writer Don Schlitz

'The Gambler' songwriter Don Schlitz is among the new inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, joining Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Harvey Schmidt, Tom Jones and Jim Steinman in the 2012 class.

Don Schlitz has won two Grammy Awards in the Best Country Song category, the first for Randy Travis' 'Forever and Ever, Amen,' which he co-wrote with Paul Overstreet. 'The Gambler,' recorded by Kenny Rogers, was his second win. Other of Don's famous writing credits include Randy Travis' 'On the Other Hand,' Mary Chapin Carpenter's 'I Take My Chances' and Keith Whitley's 'When You Say Nothing At All,' also later recorded by Alison Krauss.

"In the end, there is only one engulfing reason to be a songwriter ... the love of music, the joy of creating," says the tunesmith, who was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1993. "The percentage of writers who make 'fortunes' is small, and none of them struck it rich without going through leaner times. You could take all of their money away, and they would still be writing songs. Why? Because they love it.... You do it for the sake of the song. And that is the best possible reason."

The Hall of Fame's 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner will take place June 14 in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.