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| Larry Dean |
By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Born and raised in Caribou, Clarence Lawrence Gagnon became interested in music at the age of 13 and sold seeds to earn money so he could purchase his own Gene Autry guitar. His brother, the late Robert Gagnon, taught his younger sibling one chord on the guitar and then told him he was on his own. The young musician practiced and practiced, steadily improved and then bought himself a better guitar.
In 1946 the Caribou native became a professional musician and entertainer, using the stage name of “Larry Dean,” joining the group known locally as “Norma and Her Melody Playboys and performing on WAGM television.
Larry Dean continued to work in radio, television, performing on local shows with Maine’s great country artists including Gene Hooper, Hal Lone Pine, Curley O’Brien, Big Slim, his brother Rusty Monroe, Ray Bradley and Dick Curless among others. He also organized several of his own bands, the last being, “The Nighthawks” in 1983.
In 1990 Larry Dean traveled to Nashville where he cut his first full-length cassette titled, “Larry Dean, From Maine to Nashville.” In October of that same year, Verne B. McKenney, mayor of the city of Caribou, signed a proclamation citing Oct. 28 be set aside as “Larry Dean Day” in appreciation for his many years of entertaining the country music fans of Aroostook County.
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| Larry Dean in the Hall of Fame |
The city’s proclamation stated, “Whereas Clarence ‘Larry Dean’ Gagnon, a life-long citizen of the city of Caribou, has made significant contribution to the Country Music Industry in the state of Maine and Aroostook County. And whereas the Country Music Jamboree of Maine has set aside this day as Larry Dean Day to recognize Mr. Gagnon for his accomplishments. The city of Caribou does officially declare, by way of this proclamation, that Oct. 28, 1990 be set aside as ‘Larry Dean Day.’”
On Oct. 29, 1990 a Legislative Sentiment on behalf of the members of the Maine Senate and House of Representatives was presented, joining the city of Caribou in honoring Larry Dean’s talent and his contribution to country/Western music in Aroostook County and the state of Maine.
On May 21, of this year the late Clarence Lawrence “Larry Dean” Gagnon, who passed away on Dec. 5, 2005, was inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame posthumously during induction ceremonies held at the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum located in Mechanic Falls.
In a letter from Slim Andrews, chairman of the induction committee, sent to Larry Dean Gagnon’s daughter, Brenda Brady who resides in West Virginia, Andrews stated, “On behalf of the Induction Committee, thank you for your Dad’s lifetime commitment to the country music industry here in the state of Maine.”
Mr. Gagnon’s award was accepted by one of his great supporters, Larry Beckwith of radio station WRFR in Rockland, and the late musician’s nephew Paul Caron of Bangor.
Being named to the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor a musician can receive in Maine and “Larry Dean,” one of Caribou’s native sons, now shares that spot with such greats as Gene Hooper, Lone Pine, Curly O’Brien, Ebb Lovely, Dick Curless and many others whom the Caribou musician worked with over the years.
Mr. Gagnon’s daughter stated that her son, William J. Girouard, II, who was born in Maine and now resides in New York, “is so very proud of his grandfather — and so am I.”
