Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers to perform at Historic Ironwood Theatre

By TOM STANKARD

[email protected]

Ironwood - Larry Gatlin and his brothers are traveling to Ironwood to grace the stage of the Historic Ironwood Theatre Sunday night.

Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers have been dazzling audiences for around 60 years.

Larry Gatlin told the Daily Globe it all began in Abilene, Texas, in 1955, when he was 6, Steve was 4, and Rudy was 2. Since then, he said nothing has changed among them.

"It sounds the same, just the voices have matured," he said.

The brothers grew up singing gospel music after listening to James Blackwood and the Blackwood brothers, Hovie Lister, the Statesman Quartet and many others.

"Gospel music taught us how to sing harmonies," Larry Gatlin said. "There's something special about a guy singing about Jesus."

They would sing anywhere and everywhere people would listen.

As children, their music took them coast-to-coast. They also recorded four Gospel records.

In 1966, Larry Gatlin went off to college, studying English and law at the University of Houston. 

In 1971, he auditioned for the legendary Imperials, Elvis Presley's backup group.  He didn't get the job, but met Dottie West, the opening act for the legendary Jimmy Dean, who would become one of his oldest and best friends.

West was initially taken with Larry Gatlin's resemblance to Nashville songwriter Mickey Newbury.

She told him one night in their backstage dressing room at the Landmark Hotel in Las Vegas, "Larry, you look so much like Mickey Newbury, you've just got to be able to write great songs."

After the gig in Vegas, Gatlin went home to Houston, wrote eight songs, sent them to West, and she sent him a plane ticket to Nashville.

Through West, Larry Gatlin met Kris Kristofferson. He introduced Larry Gatlin to Fred Foster at Monument Records, which resulted in a contract with the record label.

"The Pilgrim" was released later that year. Johnny Cash wrote the liner notes for the first album, and dubbed Larry Gatlin "The Pilgrim," which is what Cash called him until the day he died.

Steve and Rudy Gatlin were still in college at Texas Tech University and moved to Nashville in 1975 to sing backup with Tammy Wynette. The two of them joined Larry Gatlin in the summer of 1976 to form "Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers."

By 1976, Larry Gatlin and his brothers "were in the fast lane," thanks to the chart-topping success of the Grammy Award-winning "Broken Lady." The hits continued throughout the rest of the decade, including their signature song, "All the Gold in California."

The brothers continued to tour throughout the 1980s, then in 1992, they decided to take some time away from the road. That year they embarked on their "Adios Tour" and released an album of the same title. 

Upon completion of the tour, Larry Gatlin went on to Broadway to star in the hit musical, "The Will Rogers Follies," as Steve Gatlin built a theatre in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Rudy Gatlin starred in a production of "Oklahoma" in Branson, Mo. 

In early 2002, they decided to tour on a limited basis, recorded a new a album, "Pilgrimage," in 2008 and they still perform 40 to 50 dates a year, although they are slowing down.

"We just think it's time to do some other things, spend more time with our families, slow down a little bit, and do it with class and dignity - on our own terms," Larry Gatlin said. "We are grateful to God for our fabulous run and we can't wait to see what else He has in store.

"We have been very blessed and grateful for the many fans who have stayed with us over the years," added Steve Gatlin.

Larry Gatlin said he looks forward to playing at HIT beginning at 7:30 p.m.

"It's a big show and it's an honor for us to be playing at the HIT. I'm going to sing, laugh and giggle a little bit," he said. "I hope people aren't too mad at me for changing the date from Saturday to Sunday."