Press Release: Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers to Salute Kenny Rogers at 2017 Texas Medal of Arts Awards
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Nashville, Tenn. (February 17, 2017) - GRAMMY® Award-winning Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers will salute fellow Texan and music legend Kenny Rogers at the 2017 Texas Medal of Arts Awards on Wednesday, February 22 at the Texas Performing Arts Center in Austin. The Gatlin Brothers and vocalist Vikki Carr will perform Rogers' classic hit "Islands In the Stream" before presenting him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Larry Gatlin and Carr will also perform Rogers' 1980 #1 hit, "Lady".
"Brother Steve, Brother Rudy and I were greatly honored to receive the Texas Medal of Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and we are honored to have been asked back to present this year's award to our old and good friend, Kenny Rogers," says Larry. "Can't wait to get home to Texas!"
The event will begin with a Red Carpet Reception, presented by Anheuser-Busch, at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Awards show at 7:00 p.m. This year, the Awards will celebrate the following honorees who will join the prestigious list of past award recipients: Eloise & John Paul DeJoria of Paul Mitchell / Patrón for Corporate Arts Patron; Kris Kristofferson for Multimedia; Lynn Wyatt for Individual Arts Patron; Lauren Anderson for Dance; Yolanda Adams for Music; Dallas Black Dance Theatre for Arts Education; Renée Elise Goldsberry for Theatre; The Tobin Endowment for Foundation Arts Patron; Leo Villareal for Visual Arts; Frank Welch for Architecture; John Phillip Santos for Literary Arts; Scott Pelley for Journalism; and Kenny Rogers for Lifetime Achievement.
The Awards will be hosted by 2001 Texas Medal of Arts Awards honoree and legendary performer Debbie Allen. In addition to live performances by the Gatlins and Carr, the evening's talent lineup includes 2009 honoree Ray Benson, GRAMMY® Award-winning Conspirare, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Texas Young Masters Nizhoni Begay (Music) and Luke Westerman (Dance), and more.
The evening will come to a memorable end with a gala dinner at 8:30 p.m., where guests will dine alongside Texas arts, business, legislative, and entertainment notables.
To date, the Texas Medal of Arts Awards has presented 99 medals to 105 Texas legends and luminaries who have achieved greatness through their creative talents, as well as those whose generosity has opened doors to artistic opportunity for Texans of all ages. The Awards spotlight the impact of the arts on the state's economy and our children’s education, preserving the unique and proud Texas culture. The Awards have celebrated various influential and talented honorees including Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria, ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Dan Rather, Neiman Marcus, Margaret McDermott, Barbara Smith Conrad, Tommy Lee Jones, Bob Schieffer, Debbie Allen, Robert Rodriguez, Walter Cronkite, Lake Flato Architects, Austin, City Limits, the Nasher Foundation, Sandra Cisneros, Robert Rauschenberg, Clint Black, Anheuser Busch Companies, Lyle Lovett, Texas Monthly, Robert Edsel, and Exxon Mobil, among others.Tickets to the Red Carpet Reception and Texas Medal of Arts Awards show are $100 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets to the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, please visit TexasMedalofArts.org.
About Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
The close family harmonies of Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers have given the trio a signature sound that led to country classics like "All The Gold In California" and "Houston (Means I'm One Day Closer To You)." The brothers won a GRAMMY® for their 1976 breakthrough hit, "Broken Lady," and reached #1 with several other songs soon thereafter. Along with five career nominations for the ACM Vocal Group, the Gatlin Brothers picked up three 1979 trophies – Single of the Year ("All The Gold In California"), Album of the Year (Straight Ahead) and Male Vocalist of the Year for Larry Gatlin. Larry Gatlin has written songs that were later recorded by Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Charlie Rich, Dottie West and many other artists.
For more information on Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, visit www.gatlinbrothers.com.
About Laura Lou
JournalistBeginning about age 13, music always been my “safe place”, my “escape”, it became a part of who I am. My background includes being a photographer/journalist for newspapers, magazines and radio stations and more recently I have been an artist manager. What I continue to strive to learn is, what is important to the fans/readers? I find that the answer is always that they want to feel close to the artist they are supporting. The human contact that we all need is something that I want to deliver to anyone that happens to read something I write or see a photograph I shoot. It is important to me to provide that experience, because I am, after all, still always a “fan” and that giddy 13-year-old girl is simply amazed! I never imagined that my passion and love for music would lead me where I am today! I use the hashtag #iamtheluckiestgirliknow because I cannot believe how blessed I am! I’m excited to see “what happens next” and take you all along with me! This is going to be amazing…
