Don Schlitz passed away on Thursday at a Nashville hospital. The cause of his death was not immediately disclosed, though a press release from the Grand Ole Opry attributed it to a sudden illness. Dave McGinnis passed away on Monday at a Nashville hospital, with the Tennessee Titans confirming his death in a statement on Monday evening. McGinnis died surrounded by his family following a period of illness.
Schlitz was a two-time Grammy Award winner who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year for four consecutive years, from 1988 to 1991.
Schlitz made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 2017 and was subsequently inducted in 2022. He was the only non-artist to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in the venue's century-long history. The historic Saturday night show at the Grand Ole Opry will be dedicated in Schlitz's memory.
Don doesn’t just write songs. He writes careers.
Schlitz penned the music and lyrics for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a Broadway musical that premiered in 1999. His first recorded song was 'The Gambler,' which was recorded by Kenny Rogers in 1978 and was certified five times platinum by the RIAA.
Dave McGinnis was a beloved figure whose coaching career spanned over four decades. He served as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2000 to 2003, having arrived in Arizona in 1996 as the team's defensive coordinator.
McGinnis spent ten seasons as the linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears under Mike Ditka and Dave Wannstedt. He served as a linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans from 2004 to 2011 and had served as the color analyst for the Titans Radio Network since 2017.