Words and Images courtesy of the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts.
For more than sixty-seven years, the Gatlin Brothers have entertained audiences in venues and stages all over the world. From the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall to the Grammy Awards and U.S. Presidential performances, Larry, Steve, and Rudy have dazzled audiences across the globe. This December, the Gatlin Brothers will bring their Country & Christmas tour to the Sandler Center in Virginia Beach. The Langley Federal Credit Union Concert Series presents The Gatlin Brothers: Country & Christmas on Wednesday, December 20 at 7:30 PM at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets will go on sale Friday, July 14 at 10 AM and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Sandler Center box office located at 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. Tickets are priced at $34, $44, $49, and $64, plus applicable fees. To receive the exclusive presale code to purchase tickets before the general public, join the Sandler Center Cyber Club at SandlerCenter.org. The presale for this show will take place on Wednesday, July 12 from 10 AM through 10 PM. The Gatlin Brothers have accrued a lifetime of noteworthy achievements in their storybook career, including a Grammy for Best Country Song (“Broken Lady”), three ACM awards for Single of the Year (“All The Gold In California”), Album of the Year (Straight Ahead) and Male Vocalist of the Year, along with five nominations for CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Single, and Album. The Brothers have accumulated seven #1 Singles, thirty-two Top 40 Records, twenty-four Studio Albums, and five BMI “Million-Air” Awards. They have been privileged to grace the stage with legendary entertainers like Kenny Rogers, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill, The Oak Ridge Boys, the Gaither Vocal Band, and The Isaacs, just to name a few. As a solo writer, Larry ranks fourth on Billboard’s Top 40 self-penned hits. His impressive song catalog has been recorded by the “Who’s Who” of entertainers, including Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Glen Campbell, Kris Kristofferson, Sir Tom Jones, Dottie West, Charlie Rich, Johnny Mathis, and many others, securing his legacy as one of BMI’s top solo songwriters. He was most recently inducted to the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame. The Gatlin Brothers’ career began in Abilene, Texas in 1955 when Larry was seven, Steve was four, and Rudy was two. The brothers grew up singing gospel music while listening to James Blackwood and the Blackwood Brothers, Hovie Lister, The Statesmen Quartet, and other accomplished gospel artists. As children, the brothers would sing for anyone who would listen, and soon they were singing from coast to coast. In 1964, the brothers appeared at the World’s Fair in New York City and recorded four Gospel records early in their career. In 1966, Larry went to college at the University of Houston where he studied English and Law, and in 1971, he auditioned for The Imperials, Elvis’ backup group. Although he did not get the job, he did meet Dottie West, the opening act for Jimmy Dean. Dean would later become one of Larry’s oldest and dearest friends. Dottie was initially taken with Larry’s resemblance to Nashville songwriter Mickey Newbury. She told him one night in Las Vegas that he looked so much like Mickey that he had to be able to write great songs, too. Encouraged, Larry returned to Houston, wrote eight songs, and sent them to Dottie. She liked them so much she sent him a plane ticket to Nashville. Through Dottie’s friendship, Larry met Kris Kristofferson, who championed his talents as a writer and singer. Kristofferson’s introduction to Fred Foster at Monument Records resulted in a recording contract with the label. Larry’s first album, The Pilgrim, was released later that year. Johnny Cash wrote the liner notes for the album and dubbed Larry “The Pilgrim,” a name he called him for the rest of his life. At this time Steve and Rudy were still in college at Texas Tech University, but by 1975 they moved to Nashville to join Larry to form the group as we know it today. In 1976, the Gatlin Brothers were on the fast track musically thanks to the chart-topping success of their single “Broken Lady.” The hits continued throughout the decade with their signature song “All the Gold in California” followed by “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You).” The next decade brought number one songs with “I Don’t Wanna Cry”, “I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love,” “Statues Without Hearts,” “Love Is Just A Game”, and “Night Time Magic.” The Gatlin Brothers still perform approximately fifty shows per year, as well as many performances at the famed Grand Ole Opry. Larry has written and produced a musical, “Quanah”, which was performed in April 2017 to rave reviews and has plans for another run in 2023. The brothers are also in the planning stages of recording some new music. “We are blessed that fans still love our music and attend our shows,” says Steve, “We hope to continue as long as that’s the case.”
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ABOUT THE SANDLER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: The Sandler Center opened on November 3, 2007 and is managed by Oak View Group (OVG360). With 1,308 seats and a soaring glass façade, the building is located in the heart of Virginia Beach’s Town Center, a hub for cultural entertainment. With local and international talent visiting the Sandler Center, performances are perfect for audiences of all ages. Patrons will experience an intimate environment when visiting the Sandler Center, as no seat is further than 100 ft. from the stage. Learn more at SandlerCenter.org and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. ABOUT OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client-partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client-partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety and more.