Marlin Cooper has dedicated his teaching career to the music students in Kansas, most especially those in Kansas City, Kansas. After brief stints in Plains and Ness City and following his graduation from Ottawa University, he moved east and taught in Kansas City, Kansas, for the next 35 years. Marlin's legendary days as the director of Coronado Middle School bands and orchestras led to his recruitment as the first ever band director at the new Kansas City Kansas Community College campus.

For the next 27 years, Marlin inspired, modeled, and mentored thousands of music students in his care. Marlin's groups, especially his Jazz bands, flourished under his direction. He always looked for ways to inspire his students and managed to bring big name artists to the urban campus such as Dizzie Gillespie, Jamie Abersold, and Bobby Waston. Marlin's college Concert Band performed at the National MENC Conference and three times his college Jazz Band was selected to perform at the KMEA In-Service Workshop.

Countless former students of Marlin's are professional musicians including: Bobby Watson, Pamela Baskin Watson, John Cushon, Mark Howard, and Wayne Hawkins. Marlin is a consummate saxophonist and performer. His sabbatical in 1978 took him to Bordeaux, France, where he studied with renowned saxophonist Jean-Marie Londeix.

Upon retirement, Marlin went back to his public school roots and proceeded to teach beginning band and strings in the Gardner and Shawnee Mission School Districts for an additional eight years. He continues to play nearly every night at clubs in Kansas City and is getting a big kick from playing at nursing homes throughout the Kansas City metro area.