Western heritage rode high this past week in Southwest Oklahoma. Two concerts by The Gatlin Brothers and a performance by Baxter Black went over with multiple standing ovations and encores. 

Grammy winner Larry Gatlin was in town with his brothers Rudy and Steve, and The Gatlin Brothers Band. Larry spoke to several music classes at Cameron University. The star powered week on campus culminated with the annual Country Jazz Fusion Concert. As most every year, it was a sell out in the University Theatre. The Gatlins performed with the CU Jazz Ensemble for the 2007 show. I visited with Larry on the first day of rehearsals and he was very pleased with how it was going. During the concert itself, he told the audience several times to give the students a hand for the job they were doing. Under the baton of Dr. John Moots, music prof and band leader, the stage full of musicians were truly outstanding. After a couple of pure jazz numbers including Charlie Byrd’s “Birdland,” the Gatlin Brothers came on stage and did an hour and a half of all Gatlin and Texas pop music. The CU Jazz Ensemble’s backing sounded like a full Big Band. The Gatlin hits were crowed pleasers – “All The Gold In California,” “Broken Lady” and more. In the Texas portion of the show, highlights included Roy Orbison’s “Crying” and ” Willie Nelson’s “Nightlife.” Between all the numbers, the Gatlins showed great down home humor, comfort on stage, and seemed to really enjoy themselves. Larry said that they wanted to come back and do it again.

Three standing ovations and two encore numbers seemed to indicate the audience would welcome them back anytime. The following night the Gatlins and the CU Jazz Ensemble took the same show over to the Duncan’s Simmons Center. I’m told it was just as hot a show over there. Hard to believe, but tickets were only $10 each for the Country Jazz Fusion Concerts.

The next evening, America’s number one cowboy poet and cowboy humorist played McMahon Memorial Auditorium to some 800 people. A pre-concert reception, an auction by State Rep. Don Armes, opening by the country music duo of Kelly and Casey McClure and Baxter Black’s show were all part of a benefit for Lawton’s beautiful Museum of the Great Plains.

As someone pointed out, to say Baxter Black is just a poet or just a comic is to say the Grand Canyon is just a hole in the ground. This former big animal veterinarian is in constant demand as a speaker. He has appeared on everything from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson to Las Vegas. He regularly appears on NPR radio, RFD TV and in newspaper papers across the country.

His stories about horses, farm and ranch life, mountain oysters, and cows are appreciated by all ages and all walks of life. But it is the people of the West and who work with animals and the land that hang on his every word – until they fall off laughing.

And everybody up for another standing ovation and a tip of the Stetson. Afterward he stayed in the lobby until everyone who wanted an autograph or just to shake his hand got to do so. Baxter Black tickets were only $20 each. A bargain for a good cause.

Folks, it was a very entertaining and pride-filled week of our Western heritage in Lawton.