After 70 Years, The Gatlin Brothers Announce Farewell Celebration Tour
You’re always a little leery whenever anyone announces a “farewell” or “final” tour. We’ve been duped on this front many times before, even if performers really meant it when they initially said, “I’m done.” But with Larry Gatlin pushing 80, and having performed with his brothers literally since childhood, it’s not hard to understand why they might be looking into the future, and wanting to conclude things on their terms.
Announced last week, Larry Gatin, and brothers Steve and Rudy Gatlin will all participate in what’s being called a “Farewell Celebration Tour,” celebrating over 70 years of the three brothers from Seminole, TX making music together. They’ve announced the initial round of dates (see below), but are also leaving the ending of the tour somewhat open ended, similar to what The Oak Ridge Boys did recently.
“After much thought and prayer, we have decided that it’s time to hit the turn signal, check the rearview mirror, pump the brakes, move over into the right lane, and look for the off-ramp,” Larry Gatlin says. “There is no ‘hard date’ for all of this, but we’re thinking Mayish of ‘28. In the meantime, we’ll be all over America to play and sing our songs for you wonderful people who have supported us for 71 years. Keep the Faith.”
The farewell tour dates released so far run into the fall and winter, and into the spring of 2027.
Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers are known for such #1 songs as “All The Gold in California,” “I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love,” and “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You).” They’re regularly brought up in conversation of who could be contenders for the Country Music Hall of Fame, and they’ve been Grand Ole Opry members since 1976.
For more information and tickets, visit gatlinbrothers.com.
Farewell Tour dates (So Far):
Sept. 19 / Lincoln City, OR / Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Oct. 2 / Thatcher, AZ / Eastern Arizona College
Oct. 3 / Gilbert, AZ / Higley Center for the Performing Arts
Oct. 4 / Galveston, TX / The Grand 1894 Opera House
Oct. 17 / Branson, MO / The Mansion Theatre
Oct. 24 / Fort Hall, ID / Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel
Nov. 17 / Shipshewana, IN / Bluegate Theatre
Nov. 21 / Arlington, TX / Arlington Music Hall
Nov. 22 / The Woodlands, TX / Dosey Doe
Dec. 4 / Jonesborough, TN / Jackson Theatre
Dec. 5 / Franklin, NC / Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts
Dec. 11 / McPherson, KS / McPherson Opera House
Dec. 17 / St. Charles, MO / Family Arena
Dec. 21 / Franklin, TN / Franklin Theatre
Dec. 22 / Franklin, TN / Franklin Theatre
Feb. 5 / Bremerton, WA / Admiral Theatre
Feb. 11 / Belle Glade, FL / Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center (Palm Beach State College)
Feb. 13 / Weirsdale, FL / Orange Blossom Opry
March 6 / Oxford, AL / Oxford PAC
March 20 / Lancaster, PA / American Music Theatre
March 21 / Easton, MD / Avalon Theatre
September 13, 2026 @ 7:20 pm
So they did this before back in 1992, even put out a “final” album called Adios. I saw one of their “farewell” performances at Opryland park. Then they returned. Don’t get me wrong I love them but I’m not saying goodbye twice!
September 14, 2026 @ 5:54 pm
Well, he had cysts on his vocal cords back then. Maybe he thought that was it for him. He had surgery at Vanderbilt and I guess it worked. That’s 30-plus years ago. I’d go see him againl
September 13, 2026 @ 11:22 pm
May-ish of 28? As in 2028? That’s quite a long tour. I guess they want to tour like Kiss has done for their 25 year farewell tour that has yet to end.
Larry Gatlin is pushing 80? Is that a current photo? Props to him! He looks amazing for his age.
September 14, 2026 @ 2:03 am
I will never forgive Larry Gatlin for forgetting the words to “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love to Town” at Mel Tillis’s memorial at the Ryman. 🤣 I had just moved to Nashville and drove down to the Ryman in my ‘94 Geo Metro to watch Nashville’s greatest memorialize one of my favorite entertainers, and Larry comes out and makes a fool of himself.
When I die, should you sing one of my own songs at my funeral and forget the words, you can expect a proper haunting from my ghost til the end of time.
I’ll probably go see them at AMT anyway. Great band.
September 14, 2026 @ 8:07 am
There are probably worse transgressions.
September 14, 2026 @ 11:37 am
Wait til he hears what they did to Becky.
September 14, 2026 @ 11:57 am
LOL… Comment of the Day!
September 14, 2026 @ 12:56 pm
Larry isn’t exactly a bright guy. An obnoxious prima donna, yes, but not bright.
September 14, 2026 @ 5:42 pm
Well, that comment surpasses him in two out of three of those criteria.
It’s not like there was some invisible or hidden sugar daddy guiding the Gatlin Brothers all these years. Larry pretty much did it all. And he’s still here and in demand.
September 14, 2026 @ 6:12 pm
What? Larry is very bright. He had a big problem with cocaine, and he got past it one day at a time.
In his younger days, his personality was a bit over the top at times. Drugs were probably behind some of that. He did a turn on Broadway back in the day and was good at it in the Will Rogers Follies and he’s been solid as anyone in Nashville as a singer and songwriter.
They’re a Hall of Fame act. Other acts have had more hits, but the quality of their work has been superior, and I’ve enjoyed them tremendously in my life.
September 14, 2026 @ 2:59 pm
Seems a little far out but alan extended his a little bit so not a big deal though they are a lot older. I was never a huge fan but they were still part of my youth listening to their songs on my moms radio. So i hope fans go out and see them.
September 14, 2026 @ 9:58 pm
Kenny Rogers beat them up one time.