January 2012 Plenary Session with Larry Gatlin
Grammy Award-winning country singer Larry Gatlin of the Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers will offer "An Entertaining Education Experience" at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in MVCC's IT Theater as part of the January Institute employee enrichment series.
Come listen to Gatlin talk about teaching, Texas and telling tales! He will talk about guiding young aspiring songwriters by respecting who they are and where they come from. He meets students where they are and works to help them conquer their fear of failure. By creating a collaborative learning process, promoting multiple drafts and do-overs, and having them discover by doing, he inspires their self-confidence through his supportive mentorship. Join us for what is sure to be a lively and enjoyable demonstration of the art of teaching. You can register for the session here.
With four No. 1 hits, multiple Top 5 and 10 hits, and more than 33 Top 40 hits, Gatlin was awarded Top Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Single of the Year by the Academy of Country Music and received a Grammy in 1977 for Best Country Song with his hit "Broken Lady."
Gatlin was born in 1948 in Seminole, Texas, the son of an oil driller. The oldest of the three Gatlin brothers, he was already accompanying younger brothers Steve and Rudy in singing at family and church events at age 7. After high school, Gatlin went to the University of Houston on a football scholarship, where he majored in English and developed "a love affair with the English Language" that later served him in his songwriting.
On the strength of his songwriting talents, Gatlin became known throughout the Nashville music Industry. While Steve and Rudy were finishing college, Larry was already touring the small club and listening room circuit as a solo act, looking forward to the time when he could afford to expand his live show to include his brothers.
December 1992 marked a farewell to concert touring for the Gatlin brothers. Then came a major turning point in his career. Gatlin took the lead role in the Tony Award-winning musical "The Will Rogers Follies."