Featured Release: Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Pilgrimage
Curb Records 75913
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Sound Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Larry Gatlin and his brothers enjoyed success through the ’70s and ’80s with their polished, pop-influenced brand of country music. Their impressive vocal harmonies, heavily influenced by gospel, were the primary reason for their popularity. After a solid run of hits, the brothers pursued other interests in the early ’90s. Larry appeared on Broadway, Steve recorded a gospel album, and Rudy opened a pair of restaurants. In 1993 the brothers established a theater in Branson, Missouri, where they performed regularly, and that same year they signed with Branson Entertainment, a small label distributed by Intersound. Pilgrimage is the group’s first Nashville recording in 16 years, and it marks their return to major-label status.

The title of the disc is an echo of Larry Gatlin’s 1974 debut, The Pilgrim. At several points he reads a narrative about his life in country music and his friendships with other musicians, including Kris Kristofferson, who helped Gatlin get a record contract in 1973 and sang harmony on Gatlin’s first hit, "Sweet Becky Walker." He and Gatlin’s daughter, Kristen, named for Kristofferson, sing harmony on a remake of that song, and Gatlin revisits other early hits, including "Penny Annie" and "I’ve Done Enough Dyin’ Today." Johnny Cash was another important friend, and he’s an abiding spirit here. One of the songs, "Johnny Cash Is Dead (And His House Burned Down)" is a tribute to country music’s past, and CMT has put Gatlin’s video for the song in its rotation (johnnycashisdeadandhishouseburneddown.com). The song’s main riff is taken from Cash’s "Big River," and Gatlin shares the song credit with the late singer.

The irony is that Gatlin was a commercial country artist whose chart dominance ended with the rise of new traditionalists like Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam. Pilgrimage is a slickly produced recording, but Gatlin’s sincerity shines through. Fans of country music will recognize stories about fallen women ("Penny Annie" and "He Bought Her Back"), lives filled with hard work ("Black Gold") and old fashioned religion ("Fill Me"). Gatlin’s songwriting skills are intact, his voice is clear and pure, and he and his brothers harmonize beautifully. There’s some hokum here, especially in the narratives, which show the influence of Gatlin’s time on Broadway portraying Will Rogers. But Gatlin feels the stories he sings and tells, and you can hear the conviction in his voice.

Overall, Pilgrimage sounds good, although some of the rock-influenced tunes, such as "Black Gold," feel a bit crowded. I’d also have preferred some space in the harmony vocals. But there’s a pleasing clarity in the acoustic instruments, and Gatlin’s vocals are clear and centered. "Can I come home to good old Music City USA?" Gatlin asks in "Say, Nashville -- Whadda Ya Say?" With songs like "Black Gold," Pilgrimage has enough commercial potential to appeal to country music’s younger audience, and Larry Gatlin will probably enjoy a warm welcome back.

. . . Joseph Taylor