Williamson County's Own - The Gatlin Brothers

By William Harwood

In Williamson County, we are blessed with many neighbors who possess extraordinary musical gifts. A Top 40 List wouldn’t cut it; we would need a Hot 100 and then some. But coming in near the top of either chart would definitely be Larry, Steve & Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers. Hailing from West Texas, the three brothers now call Williamson County home.

We recently caught up with the talented trio in a Grand Ole Opry dressing room right before airtime of Opry Country Classics, a show which Larry hosts. In just minutes, the three would step onstage and share their songs with untold thousands, either listening in the Opry itself or live on radio, 650 AM/WSM. For most folks, that would be the recipe for an anxiety dream.

We asked the brothers if they were nervous. Larry, the oldest at 73, answered first. “Nervous? No, we get excited. Nervous means you’re going to suck the mop. Excited means you’re about to go out there and do what you were born to do with your best friends and brothers with your God-given ability and talent.”

Larry knows of which he speaks. The GRAMMY® Award-winning Gatlin Brothers have been members of the Grand Ole Opry for almost 46 years and have been performing together since 1955 when Larry was six, Steve four, and Rudy two. Plus, in Larry’s career as a songwriter, he has composed hit songs performed not only by himself and his brothers, but also by the likes of Dottie West, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. His songs rank 4th on Billboard’s Top 40 self-penned hits, and he has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Nor has his musical well run dry. Far from it. Just a few years ago, Larry wrote a musical based on the life of Quanah Parker that received rave reviews, a work he hopes to revive now that the pandemic is fading.

The conversation turned to memories of playing the Grand Ole Opry back when it was at the Ryman Auditorium. “The first time we played the Opry was back in 1971,” Larry recalls, “August. No air conditioning. Saturday matinee. Two o’clock. Hotter than 102 rats making love in a wool sock.”

“Whoa!” Steve interjects with a grin next to his brother. “Have to clean that up!”

“He did clean that up,” Rudy points out sporting an even bigger grin. (Apparently, in the past, their older brother has used even saltier language to convey just how hot and stuffy that first Opry experience was.)

Rudy Gatlin

Photo by Chris Hollo

Larry Gatlin

Photo by Chris Hollo

Steve Gatlin

Photo by Chris Hollo

Larry Gatlin

Photo by Brandon Wood, Indie Bling Studio

But then Larry turns serious. “I feel an honor every time I come on the Opry stage. But I don’t walk across it if I’m not performing. I’m not telling anybody else how to do it, but it’s not a thoroughfare for me. That’s a sacred place.” It’s certainly a stage that he, Steve, and Rudy have helped sanctify.

Photo by Chris Hollo

THE GRAMMY ® AWARD-WINNING GATLIN BROTHERS HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY FOR ALMOST 46 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN PERFORMING TOGETHER SINCE 1955 WHEN LARRY WAS SIX, STEVE FOUR, AND RUDY TWO.

Photo Courtesy of The Gatlin Brothers

Steve, Larry, Rudy Gatlin, accompanied by their mother, Billie Doan Gatlin, at the Grand Ole Opry, circa 2015.

The Gatlin Brothers have racked up numerous awards and accolades with a body of work that includes 32 Top 40 records and seven numberone singles. It is little wonder that they have been booked to perform such notable gigs at Madison Square Garden, the White House, and Carnegie Hall.

Photo by Chris Hollo

Photo by Nathan Zucker

But not all time is spent writing songs, touring the world, and making music; the brothers Gatlin are happy to hang out here at home as well. Exercise is one way they relax. Larry and Steve are regular rowers at The Row House and all three play golf, often at the Brentwood Country Club. Rudy sometimes even enjoys walking the par 3 at the Golf House of Tennessee.

When not exercising or gently joking with one another, Larry, Steve, and Rudy can be found at some of their favorite local restaurants — among them Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, Garcia’s, Stoney River, and Dickey’s BBQ — or behind the pages of one of their favorite books. Steve mentions Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, a story of nine, working-class boys from the American West succeeding at rowing during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. As for Larry, an English major, he is drawn to the classics and can quote from memory passages of James Joyce. Along with great writers like Faulkner and Hemmingway, Larry mentions The Road Less Traveled, the spiritual classic by M. Scott Peck. “I still remember lessons from that book,” he says. “One being — don’t put off until later what you can do today.” Very wise advice from a creative spirit who clearly practices what he preaches.

To go hear the Gatlin Brothers’ musical inspiration for yourself, you need neither go far, nor wait long. They will be back at the Grand Ole Opry on May 5 and will be headlining at The Mulehouse in Columbia on May 13. For additional information on upcoming shows or to purchase tickets, visit opry.com or themulehouse.com. •

Back stage at the Grand Ole Opry