Blake Shelton led Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena in a singalong of an anthem rightly referred to by host Shania Twain as “one of the greatest songs of all time” on Sunday night (May 17) at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards: “The Gambler.”
Shelton, introduced by Twain as “one of our very very best, and such a beautiful man,” performed the timeless country classic as a tribute to its songwriter, Don Schlitz, who passed away in April at age 73. As the country great crooned the tried-and-true lyrics about knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em, fellow genre luminaries like Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town and of course Twain could be seen in the crowd belting along.
In addition to writing “The Gambler,” Schlitz wrote a total of 16 songs that topped Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs listing, including such other all-timers as “When You Say Nothing at All” (for Keith Whitley) and “Forever and Ever, Amen” (for Randy Travis). “The Gambler” hit No. 1 on the chart in 1978 as recorded by crossover superstar Kenny Rogers, who also took the song to No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song would remain a signature tune for Rogers until his death in 2020.
Shelton is a six-time winner at the Academy of Country Music Awards, having most recently taken home single of the year for his top 20 Hot 100 hit “God’s Country” in 2019. His other wins include male vocalist of the year in 2011, and song of the year for “Over You” in 2012, as performed (and co-written) by his then-wife Miranda Lambert.
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