IF YOU GO
Who: Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Club Madrid at Sunset Station
Tickets: $27.50 to $47.50;
547-7970
Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers have decided to come out of semiretirement and rejoin the working world.
ÒWe decided to go back on the road because we got used to eating three meals a day and sleeping indoors,Ó Larry Gatlin says from his home in Austin, Texas. ÒJust kidding — but it is part of it. ThatÕs how we make our living. We didnÕt take really good care of the money we made; thatÕs the bad news. The good news is we really love to sing music for people.Ó
They will perform Friday at Sunset Station.
Larry GatlinÕs musical career took root in Las Vegas more than 35 years ago when he flew into town to audition for a part that he didnÕt get.
ÒI was in law school in Houston at the time,Ó Gatlin, 62, says. ÒI flew in from there to audition for the gospel group the Imperials.Ó
At the time, the Imperials were singing backup for Elvis Presley at the Las Vegas Hilton and were about to move across the street to the Landmark to back Jimmy Dean in his ÒLas Vegas Revue.Ó
While here for the failed audition he met country music star Dottie West.
ÒWe struck up a friendship and I wrote a few songs and sent them to her in Nashville. She sent me a plane ticket and I moved to Nashville,Ó Gatlin says. West recorded two of his songs, ÒYouÕre the Other Half of MeÓ and ÒOnce You Were Mine.Ó
After a couple of years as a solo act, Gatlin was joined by his brothers, Rudy and Steve.
ÒWe started out in the little rooms,Ó Gatlin says. ÒWe were in the lounge at the Hilton when Johnny Cash was in the main room. He got us the gig.
ÒWe worked our way into the Desert Inn, the Golden Nugget, the Riviera, Caesars Palace. We worked some great rooms.Ó
From the mid-Õ70s through the Õ80s, the Gatlin Brothers became one of the most recognized groups in the business with more than 15 Top 10 hits, including ÒLove Is Just a Game,Ó ÒAll the Gold in CaliforniaÓ and ÒHouston Means (IÕm One Day Closer to You).Ó
They quit the road in 1992. Their final studio album was ÒAdios.Ó
Gatlin wasnÕt idle when he retired. He performed in ÒThe Will Rogers FolliesÓ on Broadway and did some public speaking.
ÒWe didnÕt tour for about 10 years and then six or seven years ago we started going out on weekends doing a few things,Ó Gatlin says. ÒBut that doesnÕt really work very well. You canÕt be a little bit pregnant. Logistically, itÕs difficult to work two days a week, with the airplanes and rental cars.Ó
They were doing about 50 dates a year until a couple of years ago when they landed a contract with Curb Records in Nashville. After 17 years without a record deal, the Gatlins will release a new album, ÒThe Pilgrimage,Ó this summer.
ÒMy first album was ÔThe Pilgrim,Õ and Johnny Cash wrote the liner notes for it,Ó Gatlin says. ÒHis son, John Cash, wrote the liner notes for this one.Ó
Jerry Fink can be reached
at 259-4058 or at jerry
1975 —ÒBroken LadyÓ
1976 — ÒStatues Without HeartsÓ
1977 — ÒI DonÕt Wanna Wanna Cry,Ó ÒLove is Just a GameÓ
1978 —ÒNight Time Magic,Ó ÒIÕve Done Enough DyinÕ TodayÓ
1979 —ÒAll the Gold in CaliforniaÓ
1980 —ÒTake Me to Your LovinÕ PlaceÓ
1981 — ÒWhat Are We DoinÕ LonesomeÓ
1983 — ÒHouston Means (IÕm One Day Closer to You)Ó
1984 — ÒDenver,Ó ÒLady Takes the Cowboy Every TimeÓ
1986 — ÒShe Used to Be SomebodyÕs Baby,Ó ÒTalkinÕ to the MoonÓ
1988 — ÒLove of a LifetimeÓ
Copyright 2009 Las Vegas Sun
