Following the Gospel Concert at Will Rogers Auditorium in 1997 when Larry Gatlin was inducted into the Hall of Fame, the TGMM&HF Board knew that there would come a time when it would be appropriate to induct the rest of the Gatlin family. That time came in 2003 at the first annual Calvin Wills Memorial Concert in Arlington. Steve, Rudy and LaDonna were added to the list of honored Texans. Rudy, the youngest brother, was not only a featured artist at that event, but has continued his support of the TGMM&HF by joining the board of directors. The parents who started it all, Curly and Billie Gatlin also live in Dallas, and Rudy certainly represents the family well. His energy and enthusiasm for the arts and all things TEXAS is a great asset to the organization.
Tag Archives: Gatlin Brothers
Larry Gatlin
Born Larry Wayne Gatlin May 2, 1948, in Seminole, Texas.
Larry Gatlin, lead singer and songwriter for the Gatlin Brothers, has enjoyed a phenomenal country music career spanning more than four decades, but his heart has always been in gospel music. Larry began performing gospel songs with his younger brothers for a radio station in Abilene, Texas, at age seven. (He says his heroes were James Blackwood and Jake Hess.) With many number one country music hits written by Larry and multiple Grammy awards, the Gatlins are a household name in country music.
When Bill Gaither gathered the first little band of Homecoming Friends in a Nashville recording studio a few years ago, Larry Gatlin was there stirring up the excitement, singing with his gospel heroes. Later, “The Gatlin Brothers Come Home” produced by Bill Gaither, became a best seller in the Gaither Hall of Honor Series.
In the nineties, Larry starred in the Broadway hit “The Will Rogers Follies.” He followed that by headlining a major theatrical production “Civil War.” His life story – All The Gold In California – was released by Thomas Nelson Publishers in 1998, named for one of Larry’s best known hit songs.
When this famous country star shows up at a Gaither video taping with his Homecoming Friends (which is often) everyone in the studio listens in quiet awe at the vocal beauty and depth of expression of Larry Gatlin. Lou Wills Hildreth says, “These moments make me glad that we made the Gatlinís first recordings on Sword & Shield Records, owned by the Wills Family, years ago in Texas.” Larry was inducted into the Texas Gospel Music Hall Of Fame in 1997. Rudy, Steve, and sister LaDonna were inducted in 2003.