From music writer Peter Cooper:
Larry Gatlin is in Nashville today to host and perform on the first edition of the Grand Ole Opry's every-Thursday-this-spring series, Opry Country Classics.
Tonight's show finds Gatlin introducing and interacting with Loretta Lynn, Lorrie Morgan and Mandy Barnett, as the show salutes country legend Patsy Cline. And Larry is bringing along his brothers, Steve and Rudy, to sing with him.
As for Larry, he's a whirl of activity.
"Oh, I'm singing, traveling, babysitting, writing a musical and all kinds of things," Larry said.
Hold on a second. This economy is so bad that Larry Gatlin — the dude who sang "Broken Lady," "All The Gold In California" and so many other hits — has resorted to babysitting to pick up extra cash?
"Yeah, that and we're taking in ironing," he says. "No, actually I've just been babysitting my granddaughter. This morning I've been chopping up apples for her, to put in a chocolate cereal called Bumpers. She loves that Bumpers."
But enough about Bumpers. The business at hand here is putting on the new Opry show.
"This show is a very special thing," he says. "I'm going to host the whole two hours, and each week there's a theme. This week, it's Patsy Cline. I'm going to host six or seven of these shows through the spring, and there'll be other hosts on some other weeks. They wanted to do something different20and put a spotlight on country music history."
Larry's own place in country music history is secure, but that doesn't mean he's not pleased and impressed to be around folks like Loretta.
"I'm so respectful of what she's done in this business," he says. "Around her, I think I … well, I'll tell you a little story. We were in Cincinnati doing a show. Reba McEntire was the headliner, and we were second on the bill, and a young guy named Clint Black was the opener. He was just a kid.
"I was in my dressing room and this nice-looking young man with a black cowboy hat knocked on my door. It was open, but he knocked anyway. And he took off his hat and said, 'Mr. Gatlin, I just came to pay my respect and tell you I'm honored to be on the show with you tonight.' He did it the right way, and I was appreciative of that. So when I get to the Opry, I can guarantee that I'm going to knock on Ms. Loretta's door and tell her I'm honored to be on a show with her."
The Opry Country Classics show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets range in price from $33 to $49, available at www.opry.com.
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