LaDonna Gatlin (born August 18, 1954) is an American motivational speaker and singer who shared a Dove Award and a Grammy Award.

Early years

Gatlin was born on August 18, 1954, in Abilene, Texas, the daughter of Curley and Billie Gatlin. She and her brothers,

Larry Larry is a masculine given name in English, derived from Lawrence (given name), Lawrence or Laurence. It can be a shortened form of those names. Larry may refer to the following: People Arts and entertainment *Larry D. Alexander, American arti ...

, Rudy, and Steve, performed as The Gatlins. The siblings developed their musical skills at home as their mother played piano. Gatlin earned an associate's degree in speech and communications from

Odessa College Odessa College is a public junior college in Odessa, Texas. The college serves the people of Ector County and the Permian Basin. It was established in 1946 and enrolle8,024 studentsin Fall 2021 and 7,679 students in Spring 2022 in its universit ...

. In 1973, she won the Miss West Texas title and represented that part of the state in the Miss Texas competition.

Career

The Gatlins' harmonizing took them from winning first prize at a local talent show to performing at the New York World's Fair in 1964. The group made record record albums, and she shared in the Grammy Award for "Broken Lady" (1976). Making a transition to Christian music, Gatlin became featured vocalist with the Blackwood Singers in 1974. In the mid-1970s, she and her husband, Tim Johnson, were founding members of Praise, the gospel-music group that backed

Dallas Holm Dallas Holm (born November 5, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter of Christian music, whose musical ministry has spanned almost four decades. His 1977 live album, with the group Praise, featured his best known song, "Rise Again". The group ...

in concerts and on record albums. In 1978, their recording of "Rise Again" won a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association, and Praise was named mixed group of the year in Dove Award competition. Gatlin withdrew from performing in 1976 to focus on her family, spending time with her son and daughter for the next 20 years. She also worked in a ministry to women on death row. After raising her children, Gatlin returned to public life, this time on her own. She combines motivational speaking with music, the latter including country, gospel, patriotic, and popular genres. Through the mix of musical and spoken messages, she said, "I want to touch the lives of other people for good, and hopefully they will see God in me." In 1991, Gatlin rejoined her brothers for a Christmas tour. Gatlin also is a writer, contributing to the ''

Chicken Soup for the Soul Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is an American self-help, consumer goods and media company based in Cos Cob, Connecticut. It is known for the ''Chicken Soup for the Soul'' book series. The first book, like most subsequent titles in the ...

'' series. She and Mike Marino wrote the book ''The Song in You: Finding Your Voice, Redefining Your Life'' (Health Communications, Inc., 2012).

Personal life

Gatlin married Tim Johnson, a minister, and they have two children.

Recognition

Gatlin was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame in 2005, and she received the Council of Peers Award for Excellence in recognition of professionalism and excellence in speaking.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gatlin, Ladonna 1954 births 20th-century women musicians American country musicians Living people Musicians from Texas