I was born Gary Smallwood, July 2, 1953, in Lexington, Kentucky. My mother Sally Spickard, a divorcee, raised my brother Larry and I, in Irishtown, a neighborhood located in Lexington. Along with my Grandparents, Robert Spickard, and Irene Turley Spickard, the three of them put me on the right path in life, for which I am eternally grateful.
We lived in a Shot Gun House located in an alley called Billy Goat Stretch, and though we were dirt poor, we didn’t know it. In our estimation, we were richer then the richest millionaire My Mom and Grandparents were the greatest role models, showing us that being poor was no disgrace and when you never had something, you didn’t miss it. And, I always remember my Grandpa telling us that if you have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and try to do the best that you can with what you got, the Good Lord will give you his Blessing. We sure did have our pride and the way I look at it, you can’t go wrong in a family like that.
