Blake Shelton Covers 'The Gambler' Ahead of 61st ACMs

blake shelton recorded a cover of Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" and said the track is out now only on Amazon Music. He tied the release to Sunday’s Academy of Country Music Awards, where he told fans to tune in for the 61st ACMs.

Don Schlitz Tribute

Shelton said, "I recorded a cover of 'The Gambler' to honor the great Don Schlitz." He added, "It’s out now only on @amazonmusic." That puts the recording in a narrow distribution lane ahead of a live awards show, giving Amazon Music a brief exclusive and giving Shelton a way to frame his ACM appearance around a specific song rather than a generic promo spot.

Don Schlitz died on April 16 in Nashville after a sudden illness at the age of 73. He wrote "On the Other Hand" and "Forever and Ever, Amen" for Randy Travis, and he wrote "When You Say Nothing at All," recorded by Keith Whitley and Alison Krauss. Shelton’s choice places him inside Schlitz’s catalog at a moment when the songwriter’s name is already part of the conversation.

Prime Video at MGM Grand

The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will stream live on Prime Video from MGM Grand Garden Arena, and the broadcast is scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Shelton told fans, "Check it out and be sure to tune into the @acmawards this Sunday!"

The source says it could make sense for Shelton to sing "Let Him In Anyway" at the ACM Awards, but it does not lock in the song. That leaves the cover of "The Gambler" as a preview of his evening, while the current hit gives him a second plausible option if the show uses the performance to push his present chart run instead of the tribute cut.

Let Him In Anyway

Shelton’s current hit, "Let Him In Anyway," keeps him in circulation as the ACM broadcast approaches, but Friday’s post made the tribute recording the more specific news item. For a viewer, the practical takeaway is simple: the cover is already available on Amazon Music, and the live awards show lands Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video from Las Vegas.