In 1979, when Larry Gatlin signed with Columbia Records….he decided to officially have his brothers billed on his singles and on his albums….so that year, their name officially became “Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers”. In October, they released the album Straight Ahead….which spawned the classic single “All the Gold in California”….which also became their biggest hit together….after reaching # 1 on the Hot Country Songs list. This was Gatlin’s second number-one hit and led to his being awarded “Top Male Vocalist of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music that year. On June 6, 1980, the group’s song Straight Ahead went certified gold.
The group’s next big hit came in early 1980 with “Take Me To Your Lovin’ Place”….which peaked at # 5 in 1981….when they followed up with “What Are We Doin’ Lonesome”….which peaked at # 4 later in the year. They continued their hit success while having top-10 and top-20 hits with “In Like With Each Other” (1982), “She Used to Sing on Sunday” (1982), “Sure Feels Like Love” (1982), “Almost Called Her Baby By Mistake” (1983) and “Denver” (1984). In 1983, the group had their 3rd and last # 1 hit, “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You)”. On January 19, 1985, the Gatlin Brothers sang “All the Gold in California” at the nationally televised 50th Inaugural Gala, the day before the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan. Though the group never achieved another # 1 hit….albeit they had hits that came close….like the jaunty release in 1986, “She Used to Be Somebody’s Baby” ….which peaked at # 2….and then came “Talkin’ to the Moon” in 1987….and “Love of a Lifetime” in 1988….as both of which peaked at # 4.
The Gatlin Brothers were also one of the first country groups to have music videos, such as 1984’s “The Lady Takes the Cowboy Everytime“. In 1985, Gatlin wrote the song “Indian Summer” with Barry Gibb….which he recorded as a duet with Roy Orbison. In 1989, the Gatlin Brothers sang National Anthem before game three of the 1989 World Series played at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California…..which Incidentally, the Loma Prieta earthquake hit just after their National Anthem playing…. and causing the game to be played 10 days later at the same site.They had also sung the National Anthem at game five of the 1985 World Series at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri….at the WBA World Heavyweight Title Fight, as seen in this video herewith…. and would do so again at Game 6 of the 2005 NBA Finals at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
