Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
A country music harmony trio whose seamless vocal blend and polished songwriting defined the genre's sophisticated side in the 1970s and 80s.
Born 1948 (age 78)·American country music group·Birthday: May 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
The story of Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers is a family affair, rooted in the Pentecostal churches of Texas where the brothers first harmonized. Larry, the eldest and primary songwriter, led the way, moving to Nashville where his talent caught the ear of Johnny Cash. The group's breakthrough came with a sound that was both impeccably smooth and emotionally resonant, built on Larry's clever, often gospel-tinged lyrics and the trio's airtight harmonies. Hits like 'Broken Lady' and 'All the Gold in California' offered a more urbane, story-driven counterpoint to the era's outlaw movement, earning them Grammy awards and a string of chart-toppers. Their career was not without turbulence, including a much-publicized breakup in the early 1990s when Larry pursued a solo Broadway turn. But the pull of family and music proved stronger, leading to a reunion and a durable second act on the road. More than just hitmakers, they represent a specific, polished era of country music where songcraft and sibling harmony reigned supreme.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Larry was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Larry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Larry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1977 for 'Broken Lady'.
- Scored a No. 1 country hit with 'All the Gold in California', which became their signature song.
- Achieved 33 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including three that reached No. 1.
- Larry Gatlin wrote 'Help Me', a major hit for Elvis Presley in 1974, before the brothers' own fame.
Did You Know?
The brothers initially performed as a gospel quartet with a younger brother, but later continued as a trio.
Larry Gatlin played the role of the Teen Angel in a Broadway production of 'Grease' in 1994.
They hosted a popular syndicated television show, 'The Gatlin Brothers Show', in the late 1970s.
Steve Gatlin left the group for several years in the 1980s to become a minister before returning.
“We're not legends, we're not icons. We're just three brothers who love to sing.”
