Larry Gatlin: The story of an Odessa legend

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Local legend, Larry Wayne Gatlin who is famously known as a country music icon for his award-winning hit songs, shared the story of his rise to fame and the love he's continued to have for his hometown throughout his music career.

Larry Wayne Gatlin, born on May 2, 1948, in Seminole, Texas, is the oldest child of Curly and Billy Doan Gatlin. By the age of seven, Larry and his two brothers, Steve and Rudy, were already performing in local churches and making guest appearances on the Slim Willett radio and TV shows- and by the time Larry was in the third grade, the Gatlins had moved to Odessa.

While attending Odessa High, Larry played quarterback from 1963 through 1965. In the three years he was a starter, Larry went two and one against the Permian Panthers, a record that he still brags about to this day. He graduated from Odessa High in 1966, then attended the University of Houston on a football scholarship and graduated with an English degree in 1970.

After graduation, Gatlin caught the attention of country music star Dottie West. Dottie was so impressed by Gatlin's songwriting abilities that she ended up recording two of his compositions.
And as the story goes, she eventually bought Gatlin a plane ticket to relocate to Nashville, Tennessee. While in Nashville, Gatlin soon found work as a backup singer for the Highwayman himself, Khris Kristofferson. With Kristofferson's help, Gatlin landed a solo deal with Monume...