Under Larry Gatlin’s direction, the Gatlin Brothers rank among the most commercially successful country ensembles across the genre’s timeline. By adapting the tight vocal harmonies of the Louvins and the Everlys to the sleek country-pop sound of their era, Larry and his siblings placed numerous singles on the charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Their material frequently balanced elaborate, inventive country arrangements against straightforward commercial fare, producing robust sales alongside occasional critical reservations. The group held its place near the summit of the charts until the late 1980s, when the new traditionalists rose in prominence. After their audience diminished, Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers entered semiretirement in the early 1990s and relocated to Branson, Missouri, where they operated their own theater.
Although the Gatlin Brothers did not receive formal billing until 1979, when Larry began listing them as his supporting band on solo releases, the three siblings—Larry, Steve, and Rudy—had sung together since childhood in church and on local Texas television programs. While still teenagers they cut a gospel album for the independent Sword & Shield label. After high school, eldest brother Larry enrolled at the University of Houston and briefly sang with the gospel quartet the Imperials. During an Imperials engagement in Las Vegas he met Dottie West, who admired his songwriting enough to record two of his compositions, “You’re the Other Half of Me” and “Once You Were Mine,” and to finance his move to Nashville. Upon arriving in Nashville, Larry discovered that West had already circulated his demo tapes, prompting Kris Kristofferson to play them for Monument Records executive Fred Foster. Foster signed Gatlin to a contract in 1972. By then Larry had summoned his brothers to Nashville to serve as a backing vocal group, and they contributed to his debut album, The Pilgrim, which included his first country chart entry, “Sweet Becky Walker.”
Gatlin’s follow-up album, Rain Rainbow, again featured his brothers and yielded “Delta Dirt,” which reached number 14. The third album appeared under the credit Gatlin with Family and Friends and contained his initial Top Ten single, “Broken Lady,” which climbed to number five in early 1976. Later that year the Gatlin Brothers were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. In 1977 the fourth album, High Time, was issued as Larry with Brothers and Friends and produced his first number-one hit, “I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love.” After one additional solo project, the Gatlin Brothers received official billing as Larry’s backing band beginning in 1979, coinciding with his move to Columbia Records; the first single released under the new name was the chart-topping “All the Gold in California.”
During the 1980s the Gatlin Brothers accumulated fifteen Top 40 hits, among them “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You),” “Denver,” “The Lady Takes the Cowboy Everytime,” and “She Used to Be Somebody’s Baby.” Throughout the decade their recordings appeared under several variations of the group name, including Larry & the Gatlin Brothers Band, Larry & the Gatlin Brothers, and Larry, Steve, Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers. By the close of the 1980s their popularity waned amid the rise of new traditionalist artists. In 1991 the brothers concluded their career with a farewell tour. The following year Larry took the leading role in the Broadway production The Will Rogers Follies, Steve released an inspirational album, and Rudy opened two Gatlin Brothers Music City Grilles. In 1993 the group established their own theater in Branson, Missouri, where they performed regularly while also appearing often in Las Vegas. That same year they signed with the Branson Entertainment label and issued Moments to Remember, followed in 1994 by Cool Water.
Thereafter the Gatlin Brothers recorded infrequently yet continued to perform, primarily at their Branson venue. After a decade away from the studio they returned with Sing Their Family Gospel Favorites on Dualtone Records in 2004 and Pilgrimage on Curb in 2009. Shortly after the latter release, Larry Gatlin gained prominence as a commentator on the Fox News Channel. He subsequently divided his schedule between television appearances and live performances, with recording becoming a lesser priority. The next Gatlin Brothers album, The Gospel According to Gatlin, appeared on Curb in 2015.
