“The Gambler” Single by Kenny Rogers from the album The Gambler
B-side “Momma’s Waiting”
Released November 15, 1978
Label United Artists
Songwriter Don Schlitz
Producer Larry Butler
No.1 in US (Billboard Hot Country); No.2 in Canada; No.22 in UK.
“The Gambler” is a song written by Don Schlitz and recorded by several artists, most famously by American country singer Kenny Rogers.
Don Schlitz wrote this song in August 1976 when he was 23 years old. It took two years of shopping the song around Nashville before Bobby Bare recorded it on his album Bare at the urging of Shel Silverstein. Bare’s version didn’t catch on and was never released as a single, but other musicians took notice and recorded the song in 1978, including Johnny Cash, who put it on his album Gone Girl.
It was Kenny Rogers who finally broke the song loose, in a version produced by Larry Butler. His rendition was a #1 Country hit and even made its way to the Hot 100 at a time when country songs rarely crossed over.
This song had a huge impact on both Kenny Rogers and its writer Don Schlitz. Rogers had three #1 Country hits under his belt, but “The Gambler” gave him the title track to his biggest-selling album. Schlitz was able to quit his day job (actually a night job – he worked the graveyard shift) and become a full-time songwriter. Some of his other songs include “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” by Mary Chapin Carpenter and “On the Other Hand” by Randy Travis.
Kenny Rogers won a Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, and Don Schlitz won the award for Best Country Song.
Kenny Rogers — lead vocals
Dottie West — backing vocals
Hoyt Hawkins — backing vocals
Neal Matthews Jr. — backing vocals
Gordon Stoker — backing vocals
Ray Walker — backing vocals
Jimmy Capps — acoustic guitar
Ray Edenton — acoustic guitar
Billy Sanford — electric guitar
Pete Drake — pedal steel guitar
Hargus Robbins — piano
Tommy Allsup — bass
Jerry Carrigan — drums, shake
