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But
it wasn't just the resemblance to Mickey that caught Dottie's attention; it
was also his songwriting. In a 1981 interview with TNN Country News,
Dottie shared her thoughts on Larry's writing. "I believed in him so
much. He's just unique. He's cleaver, witty...he says things in
a different way." She believed in him so much that she sent him a
one-way plane ticket
come to Nashville, hired him as a staff writer for her First Generation
Music company, and introduced him to all her songwriting friends; his
"twin" Mickey Newbury, Hank
Cochran, Kris
Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Jeannie Seely, and Red Lane. It wasn't long
before some
of the
biggest
stars in
Nashville
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were recording
Larry's
material.
She also
"shopped"
Larry to
some of
her
producer-friends.
Jerry
Bradley
and Chet
Atkins
were
both
impressed
with
Larry
and
wanted
to sign
him as a
solo
act.
Larry really
wanted
to
record
with
brothers
Steve
and
Rudy,
and his
sister,
LaDonna.
He
thanked
them for
their
time,
but
wanted
to shop
around
for
someone
who
would
take
them as
a group.
Fred
Foster,
at
Monument
Records,
finally
signed
the
group,
which
called
themselves
Young
Country,
to a
deal,
but
their
records
never
caught
on.
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Dottie used them
as
backup
singers
from
time
to
time.
Larry
remembered
to
historian,
Chet
Hagen,
the
first
time
he
played
the Opry. "I was on the Opry from the first
time with Dottie. Steve and Rudy and I, and our sister, LaDonna, sang
at the old Ryman on a Saturday afternoon matinee. It was the
first summer I moved to
Nashville. We went out and bought these wool suits and
it was like 194 degrees in that sucker! But it was a
great thrill. We sang Here Comes My Baby with Dottie. That was before we had
any records of our own."
Dottie
then gave Larry a spot in her band - playing bass. He had never
played bass before, but Dottie was so convincing that he could learn it in
two weeks, he agreed to do it. Unfortunately, he really didn't work at
it and his "hunt & peck" style didn't please Dottie. He was replaced
after three shows. |
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LaDonna soon quit the business and moved back to Texas. Larry, Steve
and Rudy finally got their career off the ground in 1974, with the release
of an album called The Pilgrim. Sweet Becky Walker and
Bitter They Are The Harder They Fall (which was later recorded by
Dottie) were the hits from that album. Over the next twenty years they
would record three #1 records and score 17 top ten singles.
Sold out concerts, television appearances and just the grind
of the business took their toll, though, and Larry fell into
the trappings of drugs and alcohol. With the help of
friends, family and God, he kicked the habit and has been
clean and sober for years.
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The Gatlin Brothers retired in 1992. In 1994, the Gatlin's opened a
2,000-seat theater in Myrtle Beach, SC. Larry went to Broadway and
starred in The Will Rogers Follies. Larry also played himself
in the made-for-television movie, Big Dreams And Broken Hearts: The
Dottie West Story. It was hard for Larry, because he still missed
his friend. The show's star, Michele Lee, told Regis & Kathie Lee,
"When Larry Gatlin saw me the first day he worked...I was in full 'Dottie'.
He walked in, took one look at me, and burst into
tears. He said, 'Oh, Dorothy Marie'...I don't think
I'm going to get through this." Larry did make it
through and appeared in four scenes. |
Through it all, Larry has never forgotten what Dottie did for him.
He's one of the few who still credit Dottie for their start. "If it
had not been for Dottie West, well, Larry Gatlin would have probably been a
bad lawyer somewhere in Houston. I miss her very much." |
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Larry, Steve and
Rudy would sing every Sunday morning on a local Abilene
station for 10¢ a week
Larry worked as a bricklayer, roofer and oil field worker
You're The
Other Half Of Me was the first song he ever wrote (and
Dottie recorded it)
Larry wrote a song called Runaway, Go Home that
became the national theme for the Runaway And Homeless Youth
Bureau
Elvis Presley recorded Larry's Help Me
Elvis pointed Larry out in the audience one night and some
"shaggy haired kid" stood up and took his applause
Larry had seven solo singles
The brothers joined the Opry in 1976
Larry and his brothers have scored three #1 singles
They charted 42 singles all together
*
Pilgrim
* With Family And Friends
* Love Is Just A Game
* Greatest Hits
* Straight Ahead
* Gatlin Family Christmas
* Greatest Hits II
* Houston To Denver
* 16 Greatest Hits
* Partners
* Alive And Well
* All The Good
* Super Hits
* Pure And Simple
* Christmas
* Live At 8:00 PM
* Greatest Hits Encore
* Adios
* In My Life
* Your Ticket To Larry Gatlin
*
Live At Billy Bob's Texas
*
Live
At Billy Bob's Texas
*
An Evening with Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers
*
Christmastime with Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers
*
Johnny Mathis - Chances Are
(Special
Guest)
*
All The Gold In California
www.gatlinbrothers.com |
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