The Gatlin Brothers
Susan Knox Wilson
You have to guess that a show that begins with the audience on their feet belting out The Star Spangled Banner is going to be a darn good one. And it was! The recent Gatlin Brothers show at the Renaissance was a down home, laugh along, sing along, gosh darn good time.
Larry Gatlin and his brothers, Steve and Rudy, have been entertaining audiences for 62 years. It all began in Abilene, Texas, 1955 when Larry was six, Steve was four and Rudy was two and the boys sang together in church and on local radio shows. The brothers grew up singing gospel music and would sing anywhere and everywhere people would listen. Since those days, the road the brothers have plowed has won them countless awards and has taken them to numerous concert halls, festival stages, national television shows, the White House and most recently, PebbleCreek.
The Gatlin Brothers’ music is still heavily influenced by gospel music and their show is imbued with patriotic themes and nostalgia. Heck, even all their stage lighting is red, white and blue. But it’s their country music and dazzling three-part harmonies for which they are most famous that made the show so special. We were wowed with some of Gatlin’s biggest hits including Broken Lady, All the Gold in California, Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You), She Used to Be Somebody’s Baby and Talkin’ to the Moon.
We were also treated to some interesting tributes to friends of the Gatlins including actor Patrick Swayze, country stars Johnny and June Cash (who recorded some of Larry’s songs) and singer/musician Roger Miller.
In addition to touring, the brothers recently released a new Gospel album titled Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers – The Gospel According to Gatlin. Larry said, “The songs are a little edgy, a little bit different. Steve, Rudy and I didn’t get where we are by playing it safe. We have always pushed the envelope; we have always crossed borders others were afraid to cross and we’re not going to stop now—and that’s the Gospel According to Gatlin.” Brother Steve made a point of letting us know their new CD and three previously released titles were available for purchase in the theater lobby—and then the Gatlin Brothers closed the show with a rousing rendition of their biggest hit All The Gold In California. It was a darn good show.