SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 27, 2013

Media Contact: Candi Hettinger, 605-353-7340

South Dakota State Fair Announces Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Marty Stuart

 HURON, S.D. –The South Dakota State Fair announces country legends Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers and Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives will perform on Friday, Aug. 30.

Raised on gospel music, Larry, Rudy and Steve Gatlin began entertaining at 2, 4, and 6 years old in churches and then guest appearances on the Slim Willet radio and TV shows in Abilene, Texas.

Fast forward to 1972 when Larry landed a solo deal through friend Kris Kristofferson and invited his brothers to sing backup. In 1974, the release of the album ‘The Pilgrim’ earned him his first No. 1 hit and Grammy award winner with “Broken Lady”. That same year the brothers were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. 

The success of the next album that featured the No. 1 hit “I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love” encouraged the brothers to become an official trio, signing a group deal with Columbia Records. Over the next decade, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers scored more than a dozen Top 40 hits, including “Denver”, "The Lady Takes The Cowboy Every Time”, and “All the Gold in California”.

Marty Stuart, a five-time Grammy winning country artist, has been touring and releasing albums since the 1980s. He released his first self-titled album in 1986 with the hit “Arlene”. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Stuart released more albums gaining him several top ten hits.

In 1991, he recorded “Whiskey Ain’t Workin”, a duet with Travis Tritt on the album, “It’s All About to Change,” which quickly rose to be Stuart’s biggest hit. Stuart released his latest album, “Nashville Volume 1: Tear the Woodpile Down,” last year.

“Little Things”, “Burn Me Down”, “Tempted” and “Hillbilly Rock” are also on Stuart’s long list of hits.

Ticket prices have not been set yet.

Pre-sale on tickets will begin June 17 for backrest holders, followed by Friends of the Fair ticket sales on June 20. General public ticket sales will begin June 24.

The 2013 South Dakota State Fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 29, through Monday, Sept. 2. Channel Seeds preview night will be Wednesday, Aug. 28. This year’s theme is “Starry Nights and Midway Lights”. For more information on State Fair events, contact the Fair office at 800-529-0900, visit www.sdstatefair.com or find them Facebook and Twitter.

Agriculture is South Dakota's No. 1 industry, generating over $21 billion in annual economic activity and employing more than 122,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, protect, preserve and improve this industry for today and tomorrow. Visit us online at http://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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