Pilgrimage

by Gatlin Brothers, Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers Band, Larry Gatlin

Overview

There comes a time in every person's life when he or she sits back to take stock; Pilgrimage represents that moment for Larry Gatlin. One of the pioneers of country-pop in the '70s, Gatlin returns to those roots here, delivering an album that ironically, when compared to his shiny-sounding late-aughts Nashville musical descendants, sounds positively down-home. Woven throughout the record are short spoken word interludes in which Gatlin reflects upon his musical journey and his creative and personal relationships with elder legends such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Roger Miller. The disc's title is a reference to Gatlin's 1973 debut album, The Pilgrim, and the new album shares that record's matching of traditional, finely crafted country songwriting with smooth vocal harmonies and pop-style instrumental textures reminiscent of country-rockers such as the Eagles and Poco. On "Say Nashville -- Whadda Ya Say?," Gatlin recognizes the changing times and explicitly asks fans for acceptance, while "Sweet Becky Walker" is a fairly straightforward, and perhaps more vibrant-sounding, recutting of the Texas native's first hit single, bringing his career full circle. Perhaps the most poignant moment, however, is the song "Johnny Cash Is Dead (And His House Burned Down)," which at once pays tribute to the master while encouraging young bucks to aspire to Cash's legacy. Throughout, Gatlin and his brothers sound re-energized and confident, and as a result deliver one of the most consistent, engaging, and soulful albums of their career. ~ Pemberton Roach

Product Details

Release Date:	09/15/2009
Label:	Curb
UPC:	0715187915329
Rank:	128640

Tracks

1. Narrative -- The Pilgrim: I Never Had a Brother
2. Sweet Becky Walker
3. Penny Annie
4. Narrative -- The Pilgrim: My Own Personal Pilgrimage
5. Black Gold
6. Come Back to Texas
7. Handsome Young Gringo
8. Narrative -- The Pilgrim: Country Music Will Never Be the Same
9. Johnny Cash Is Dead (And His House Burned Down)
10. I've Done Enough Dyin' Today
11. Narrative -- The Pilgrim: Now It's Our Turn
12. Say, Nashville -- Whadda Ya Say?
13. Narrative -- The Pilgrim: He Was There in Spirit
14. If I Ever See You or Utah Again
15. He Bought Her Back
16. Americans, That's Who
17. Fill Me
18. Narrative -- The Pilgrim: Little Tin Cup
19. [Untitled Hidden Track]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers Band   Primary Artist
Gaither Vocal Band   Primary Artist
Larry Gatlin   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Gatlin Brothers   Primary Artist
Rudy Gatlin   Guitar (Acoustic)
Michael Rhodes   Guitar (Bass)
Michael "Smitty" Smith   Pedal Steel
George Perilli   Drums,Percussion
Chuck Turner   Percussion
Bob Marinelli   Guitar (Bass)
Steve Darrell Smith   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Troy Lancaster   Guitar (Electric)
Paul Franklin   Pedal Steel
Steve Gatlin   Guitar (Bass)
Steven Sheehan   Guitar (Acoustic)
Bobby Terry   Gut String Guitar
Kristin Wilkinson   Viola,Violin
Tommy Harden   Drums,Percussion
Dennis Crouch   Bass (Upright)
Larry Paxton   Guitar (Bass)
Jimmy Nichols   Piano,Synthesizer,Organ (Hammond)
Larry Franklin   Fiddle
Pat Bergeson   Harmonica
Tom Bukovac   Guitar (Electric)
John Hobbs   Piano
Joe Spivey   Mandolin
Jamie Hartford   Mandolin,Guitar (Electric)
Hoot Hester   Fiddle,Mandolin
Jeff Taylor   Accordion
Wanda Vick   Dobro,Fiddle,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic)
John Gardner   Drums
Marshall Hall   Vocal Harmony
Randy Scruggs   Guitar (Acoustic)
Buddy Emmons   Pedal Steel
Danny Parks   Guitar (Electric)
Rick Lonow   Drums
Tony Harrell   Piano
Kris Kristofferson   Vocal Harmony
Dirk Johnson   Piano,Organ (Hammond)

Technical Credits

Leslie Satcher   Composer,Producer
Luke Wooten   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Richard Barrow   Engineer
Rudy Gatlin   Vocal Arrangement
Chuck Turner   Mixing,Engineer
Gordon Hammond   Assistant Engineer
Taylor Pollert   Assistant Engineer
Wayne Brezinka   Design,Illustrations
Kristin Wilkinson   String Arrangements
Lari White   Duet,Engineer
Larry Gatlin   Composer,Producer
Krish Sharma   Engineer
Dennis Ritchie   Mixing,Engineer
Jon Randall   Composer
Terry Choate   Producer
Kyle Ford   Assistant Engineer
John Caldwell   Assistant Engineer
Ed Seay   Mixing,Engineer
Doug Johnson   Producer
John Carter Cash   Liner Notes