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Congressional Daily Record
This section is a tribute, commemoration, or district-facing statement. It mentions members such as Stephen Cohen.
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April 20, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. Cohen of Tennessee was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.)
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker:
You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sitting at the table
There'll be time enough for counting
When the dealing's done.
the words of “The Gambler.” “The Gambler” was performed successfully by Kenny Rogers, but it was written by Don Schlitz.
Don Schlitz was 23 years old when he wrote that song. He was one of the greatest songwriters of our time. He passed away last Thursday night in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 73.
Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he won two Grammy Awards. He had three Country Music Association Awards for Song of the Year and was ASCAP's Country Songwriter of the Year for 4 consecutive years.
What a career he had.
Among his 25 hits that hit number one were, of course, “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers; “Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis; “When You Say Nothing At All” performed by both Keith Whitley, who made a hit out of it, and so did Alison Krauss; “Forty Hour Week” by Alabama; “One Promise Too Late” by Reba McEntire; “He Thinks He'll Keep Her” by Mary Chapin Carpenter, who cowrote the song with Don; “Strong Enough to Bend” by Tanya Tucker; and “On the Other Hand” by Randy Travis.
He had his first major hit with “The Gambler” in 1978. He was 23, and he had come to Nashville after going to Duke for a while. He wanted to be a songwriter, and he came to Nashville with $80 in his pocket. That was the first song he wrote that ever got recorded. Bobby Bare did it first. It didn't sell enough or well, and then finally Kenny Rogers got it, and it has become one of the greatest songs we know in history.
He was also a friend of mine. He was a wonderful human being with a big heart. He used to call me his Congressman even though he lived in Nashville, and I was in Memphis.
He served at the Room in the Inn helping people who were homeless. He just had a big heart.
He leaves his wife, Stacey, who is a sweetheart; his daughter, Cory; his son, Pete, and a brother and a sister. He leaves behind a great legacy and a great history of country music and songs that move the spirit.
May God bless my friend Don Schlitz.