‘America's Got Talent' winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. gives talk at South Middle School
Known for his Big Band style music inspired by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, Murphy grew up in West Virginia and Detroit and was working at a car wash before his eventual shot to perform on the show.
At the assembly, Murphy encouraged students to be present in school. As a high school dropout himself who eventually earned his high school equivalency diploma during the pandemic, he emphasized the importance of students making the most of their opportunities.
'A lot of kids feel like coming to school, especially elementary and middle school, that you're just going to a babysitter. It's not,' Murphy told 12 News. 'It's getting prepared for high school, it's getting you prepared from there to college and then into the real world and being an adult, a productive citizen in the world.'
Jersey Mike's donates all Wednesday sales to WVU Medicine Children's
When asked about the hardest part of chasing his dreams, he said overcoming lack of belief – whether it be from other people or himself.
'You don't want to be embarrassed,' he said of going back to school. 'You're going to be the oldest person sitting in the classroom. But I had to get over that, I had to block all that out. Then, going on America's Got Talent, you're fighting your biggest fears. One of my biggest fears is being on stage in front of people.'
Murphy went on to say that what keeps him going is that he feels he's been given opportunities and a gift in music, and he wants to see where it leads.
Murphy capped the assembly off with a performance of his 2016 song 'Come Home to West Virginia.'
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