Larry Gatlin is the Cocaine Addict in Matthew McConaughey Book

No, I never thought I would be writing a headline like that either. When you think of Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, cocaine isn’t exactly what comes to mind. It’s more like strong Christian values. But that wasn’t always the case for Larry Gatlin, especially back in the late 70’s and early 80’s when his career was in its heyday. Apparently he had a pretty big cocaine problem.
This wasn’t completely unknown, but it was unknown—or at least uncomfirmed—that Larry Gatlin was the subject of a story conveyed in actor and famous Texan Matthew McConaughey’s memoir called Greenlights released in October of 2020. In the book, a story is told through the perspective of legendary University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal about a country artist with a cocaine problem.
You may be even more confused what football coach Darrell Royal would have to do with country as you are Larry Gatlin with cocaine, or Matthew McConaughey with any of this. But Coach Royal was actually a big booster of the Austin music scene as it was taking off in the 70’s, and became good friends with many country stars, including Larry Gatlin.
Anyway, even though Matthew McConaughey used the name “Larry” in his book as the name for the country music artist with a cocaine problem, it seemed a little too obvious it might be Larry Gatlin, and that only threw people off the scent. But late last week, Larry came forward to fess up, and use it as a lesson in recovery.
Here is the story from Part 5 of Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights:
The late and great University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal was a good friend of mine, and a good friend of many. A lot of people looked up to him, and one of them was a musician whom I’ll just call Larry.
Larry was in the prime of his country music career and had #1 hits, and his life was rolling. He had picked up the habit of snorting the white stuff somewhere along the line, and at one particular party after a bathroom break, Larry strolled up to his mentor Darrell and started telling the coach a story. Coach listened, and as always, and when Larry finished his story and was about to walk away, coach Royal put a gentle hand on his shoulder, and discreetly said, ‘Larry, you’ve got something on your nose there bud.’
Larry immediately hurried to the bathroom mirror where he saw some white powder he hadn’t cleaned off. He was ashamed, embarrassed, and party because he felt so disrespectful to Coach Royal, but mainly because he’d obviously gotten too comfortable with the drug to even hide it as well as he should have.
Well the next day Larry went to Coach’s house, and rang the doorbell. Coach answered and Larry said, ‘Coach, I need to talk to you.’ Darrell welcomed him in, and Larry confessed. He purged his sins to Coach. He told him how embarrassed he was, and how he’d lost his way. And in an hour, Larry—now in tears asked Coach, ‘What do you think I should do?’ Now Coach, being a man of few words said simply, ‘Larry, I have never had any trouble turning the page in the book of my life.’ Larry got sober that day, and he’s been sober for the last 46 years.
It’s actually only been 37 years according to Larry Gatlin. But still, it’s a good story.
“I remember the day, it was October something of 1984,” Gatlin told People. “University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal and I were talking. We had hit it off right away. For me, he was one of those people that you meet, and you instantly don’t have to explain anything to each other. We were at this Pro-Am party at this golf tournament, and Coach Royal caught me with white powder on my nose.”
“Lord knows that I have done some things I wish I hadn’t done,” Gatlin continues. “But it brought me to right here, right now, sitting on this back porch on this swing watching my wife Janis chase away the bees from her honeysuckle plants. Life is so very good. And quite frankly, I’m proud to know Matthew and I’m thankful for him.”
April 21, 2021 @ 9:23 am
This is a story about a man who didn’t check his nose after doing a couple rails. I call this Tuesday. Why would I read this book?
April 21, 2021 @ 9:28 am
I’m not recommending the book. As a native Texan, I’m frankly a little stupefied by all of the Matthew McConaughey hero worship down here lately, and hate how hard it is to spell his last name. I don’t dislike the guy. I think he’s a cool actor. But goodness, quit pitching a tent in your pants over this dude.
Nonetheless, I thought this was a cool story.
April 21, 2021 @ 10:50 am
A story that took place 37 years ago, you’d think McConaughey (Copy and Paste) would have took some artistic liberties: added a hooker in the bathroom, claim that Darrell Royal named a play after the encounter (“All the blow in California,” hut, hut, hike!) Something to spice it up a little.
April 21, 2021 @ 11:12 am
Yes! Classic hoptown comments are back!
April 21, 2021 @ 12:45 pm
Simple the best part of this site , another great comment!!
April 21, 2021 @ 12:21 pm
I’ll recommend it- and I don’t have a tent, anywhere, for anyone-
April 21, 2021 @ 9:37 am
yes trigger I totally agee.
April 21, 2021 @ 10:00 am
McConaughey and Markle are the current U.S. media darlings that are being dangled out there for all, because of the desire of those pushing, to place them into politics.
April 24, 2021 @ 12:43 pm
McConaughey is the Trojan horse that the Dems hope will “flip Texas blue”… it is totally politically motivated. Why can’t there ever be authenticity without some political motivation behind the scenes? It’s disgusting.
Have you made your big move yet, Di? I pray that things are going better for you!
April 24, 2021 @ 1:41 pm
That is so sweet. Thank you!
Moved ~ 6 weeks ago.
Love it! So Peaceful.
One of my besties spent the night last night. Lots of girl talk and laughter, homemade spinach/bacon/swiss quiche, and pumpkin bread.
Raining, so we didnt walk around town.
Can do that tomorrow, after church.
Hope you & your family are doing well.
Thank you for the prayers.
: D
April 21, 2021 @ 10:08 am
The only thing that could make that story more outrageous, would be if it took place in the 80s!!
April 21, 2021 @ 10:10 am
Wasn’t Larry Gatlin listening to Nancy Reagan?
April 24, 2021 @ 12:51 pm
Both of your comments combine into one of the best Mystery Science Theater 3000 quotes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs0osMzTZQA
April 21, 2021 @ 11:01 am
Remember the early 2000s song “Mrs. Steven Rudy” by 1-1/2 hit wonder Mark McGuinn? I can’t recall the lyrics now, but I rewrote a verse and the chorus all about the Gatlin Brothers and called it “Larry, Steve, and Rudy” when I sang along with it on the radio. If I’d known this story at the time I’m pretty sure that I could have come up with a second verse.
April 24, 2021 @ 12:57 pm
Larry, Steve, and Rudy
You know what those eight balls do to me
The hangover is as ugly
As your dealer is to you
April 21, 2021 @ 11:52 am
Larry Gatlin talks extensively about coke addiction in his autobiography which came out previous to the late 90’s when I read it. Still trying to figure out how MM Fitz in this story (it came out a few days ago). As for Gatlin, he has some corny songs but I highly recommend watching the Canadian tv special he did with Mickey Newbury (83 or 84). It’s unedited on YouTube which gives some great candid moments.
April 21, 2021 @ 12:18 pm
Either could sing the phone book and it’d be epic
April 21, 2021 @ 12:05 pm
I read the book- it’s actually a good read- and McConaughey has been around and has some pretty incredible stories- not not true stories- he’s led a very interesting life, starting when he was a kid- of course one has to be able to read and willing to in order to know- when I read that part it didn’t have an effect on me one way or another. It was just another story in a book of life stories- I always heard/read Larry Gatlin had an alcohol problem- I still like his music- I think more of Matthew than I did and I already liked him from his movies- especially The Lincoln Lawyer, and Trace Adkins was cast well too- of course the book was better- but, again, one has to read in order to know such trivia and form an informed opinion-
Yes, I recommend the book- the thing about knowledge: it isn’t biased in it’s origin and can manifest itself in ways unimaginable- you get extra points if you know where that quote came from.
April 21, 2021 @ 2:14 pm
Besides- you’d be a lot cooler if you did read it…
April 21, 2021 @ 3:09 pm
one has to read in order to know such trivia and form an informed opinion-
April 21, 2021 @ 12:50 pm
Had I read the book I would have known right away that it was Larry Gatlin. I’ve known about his coke problem for a long time.
April 21, 2021 @ 2:00 pm
Darrell Royal and Willie Nelson showed up at Joe Jamail’s house one night and demanded he go out drinking with them. They stayed at it all night. The next day Jamail gave closing arguments in a case that would end in a $10.5 billion verdict for his plaintiff, one third of which went to Jamail. And that is how the Texas Longhorns came to play on Joe Jamail field.
April 21, 2021 @ 4:33 pm
That is a tremendous story and maybe worthy of a podcast!
April 21, 2021 @ 2:40 pm
if Larry Gatlin had gone a little easier on the coke, maybe “all the gold” he made from singing hit records wouldn’t be “in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills in somebody else’s name.”
April 21, 2021 @ 4:02 pm
Yes, One of my friends was a former UT player during the golden years and assistant Coach later on and said Willie was there a lot and good friends with Coach. That was then, is it any better today, maybe not.
April 21, 2021 @ 4:03 pm
Just a guess, McCon has ambitions to turn Texas blue.
I read his book, which was a gift from an insane relative. Anybody else read it? It’s like a collage from some pretentious college boyfriend. I golf-clapped through the whole thing. Some guys have the gift of gab down pat.
And not much else.
April 21, 2021 @ 5:10 pm
He isn’t one of the boys that ganged up on Becky is he?
April 21, 2021 @ 7:12 pm
Ohhhhhhhhhhh…come on now!
April 21, 2021 @ 6:47 pm
The book is worth a read. Very entertaining and easy reading. Great stories.
April 21, 2021 @ 7:12 pm
I heard Larry talk at a YoungLife banquet in the late 1990’s and he spoke about getting clean and sober.
I got to speak with him afterwards and shared that I got sober in 1988.
I have always liked him and his music.
And it’s extra cool that he’s been sober so long.
Good article with some interesting factoids.
April 22, 2021 @ 4:03 am
I have few interesting music stories, but I do have a Larry Gatlin story. But you all wouldn’t want to hear me blabber on about it. (sheepish grin)
April 22, 2021 @ 4:08 am
Well if you insist . . .
We were opening for LG and Billy Dean at one of those small town shows that I’m sure performers of their level do a lot of–fly in, do a quick set, pick up a check, fly out. But in a nice, nearby performing arts center, so it was a good gig for us. We set up and did a sound check and then waited for LG and BD to arrive and do their sound check. Larry was playing a double neck acoustic guitar, but not the Jimmy Page layout–this guitar was strung front and back, 6 and 12-string, and to switch guitars you flipped it over. Well, Larry was pretty proud of it and talked it up quite a bit during soundcheck. When they finished we wandered backstage to grab some food and Larry had the guitar on a bench wiping it down before putting it away. I meandered over and commented on it and asked if he ever got the strings caught on his shirt buttons. He laughed and said he did, so he sometimes has to put some tape on them (the shirt buttons–not the strings).
Then we had the following exchange:
(Larry makes slight move as if handing the guitar to me)
Larry (smiling): It really is a nice guitar. It plays so well. Are you the guitar player?
Me (smiling embarrassingly, but still making slight ‘reach for it’ move): Oh no, I’m the bass player!
(Larry pulls guitar back and continues putting it in the case)
Larry (frowning): Oh. Well you wouldn’t care then.
Me: (slinking away): Ha ha. Well, have a good show!
Now, I own twice as many guitars as I do bass guitars, so this had a similar effect as if Ralphie’s dad let him see the Red Rider BB gun and then stuck it back in the corner.
Oh well–Selah and all that. I’ll get over it one of these days.
So that is my Larry Gatlin story, aka Bass Players Get No Respect Even From One of the Nicest Guys in Music.
April 22, 2021 @ 7:52 am
Great story!
April 23, 2021 @ 11:30 am
I worked concert lighting for 4 years in the early 80’s. If they toured the US I worked the show.
On a typical night at an arena backstage you’d find one of the famous gospel/country vocal groups ripping lines with players from the Oakland Raiders.
The stuff was everywhere and if you lived through the times in the business nothing would shock you.
May 27, 2022 @ 10:49 pm
I think it was 1984 or 1985 My husband was in rehab with Larry Gatlin in Orange County. Larry Gatlin, as far as I know, has been sober since. My husband was not so lucky or I should say blessed ! He killed himself in 1989. Recovering from cocaine is extremely hard!! and along with alcohol , it makes you feel like …. well I don’t want to glorify how it makes you feel, but, because of the lies the drug tells you, you are completely hooked , but it only lasts a couple of hours and then you will do anything to make yourself feel that same thing you felt .. it will ruin every relationship, turn you into a thief, liar. I have seen parents put cocaine before clothing their children!! Prayer works . Find a non-judgemental church , get away from all of the toxic people. There are so many people out there that will accept you without your drugs but with all your baggage… seek help , pray for help !