Classic country music fans certainly know Larry, Steve and Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers. With 33 Top-40 hits to their name, including the smash, “All the Gold in California”, they frequently perform on the Grand Ole Opry (where they are members) and thrilled an audience at NRA’s Annual Meetings in Dallas in 2018. Mr. Gatlin is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and the NRA. Most people ask about the music, but when NRA Country’s Vanessa Shahidi got a few moments of Mr. Gatlin’s time, she was eager to learn about a different part of the country star’s life.
VS: Who taught you how to shoot?
LG: My 93-year-old Marine dad, Corporal Curley Gatlin, gave me his J. C. Higgins .22 semi-automatic rifle for Christmas when I was eight-years-old. We went out that day and shot some tin cans just west of Abilene, Texas. Safety was—and is—Dad’s major concern. He taught me well.
VS: Why is the Second Amendment important to you?
LG: The Second Amendment grants me the right to “keep and bear arms.” Every time I conceal my Smith & Wesson .380 M&P Shield on my right hip, or my Remington 1911 .45 in my shoulder rig under my left armpit, I silently say, “Father GOD, I pray that I don’t have to use this firearm, but if I do, make my aim straight and true.” I’m also very grateful to the NRA for protecting my right to carry.
VS: Was there anyone in particular who shared their love of the great outdoors with you growing up?
LG: Some of my fondest memories are of quail hunts on the Great Waggoner Ranch with my pop, Steve and Rudy, my brother-in-law, Don Malone, and his dad, Ross, and an old cowboy named Paul Whitley.
Be sure to catch all the news and announcements about Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers on Facebook and gatlinbrothers.com.
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