The Gatlin Brothers

The Gatlin Brothers

An evening with Larry, Steve, and Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers. The Grammy Award-winning trio has dazzled audiences for more than 65 years, with a multitude of achievements in music!

It all began in Abilene, Texas in 1955 when Larry was seven, Steve four, and Rudy two. The brothers grew up singing gospel music after listening to James Blackwood and the Blackwood Brothers, Hovie Lister, and The Stateman Quartet as well other accomplished gospel artists. As children, the brothers would sing for anyone that would listen. Soon they were singing from coast to coast and appeared at the World’s Fair in 1964 in New York City. They recorded four Gospel records early in their career. In 1966 Larry went to college where he studied English and Law at the University of Houston. In 1971, he auditioned for the legendary group, the Imperials, Elvis’ backup group. While he did not get the job, he met Dottie West, who was the opening act for Jimmy Dean. Dean would later become one of Larry’s oldest and best friends. Dottie was initially taken with Larry’s resemblance to Nashville songwriter Mickey Newbury. Dottie told him one night in their backstage dressing room at the Landmark Hotel in Las Vegas that he looked so much like Mickey Newbury, that he had to be able to write great songs. Larry returned to Houston and wrote eight songs. He sent them to Dottie and she liked them so much that she sent him a plane ticket to Nashville.

Larry, Steve, & Rudy, the Gatlin Brothers are a Grammy Award-winning trio who have dazzled audiences for more than 65 years with a lifetime of noteworthy achievements in their storybook career, including a Grammy for Best Country Song (“Broken Lady”), three ACM awards for Single of the Year (“All The Gold In California”), Album of the Year (Straight Ahead) and Male Vocalist of the Year for Larry Gatlin, along with five nominations for CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Single, Album and Male Vocalist of the Year. (DOVE Awards – AMA’s – PEOPLE’S CHOICE info here) The Brothers have accumulated 7 # 1 Singles, 32 Top 40 Records, 22 Studio Albums, and 5 BMI “Million-Air” Awards. Larry ranks 4th as Solo Writers with the most self-penned top 40 Billboard Hits! His massive song catalog has been recorded by the Who’s Who of entertainers, including Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Glen Campbell, Kris Kristofferson, Sir Tom Jones, Dottie West, Charlie Rich, Johnny Mathis, and dozens of others, securing his legacy as one of BMI’s top solo songwriters of all time.