 One
might think that it would be hard to raise fourteen children
on a share- croppers pay but Roscoe and Gertrude Barrett
made it look easy. Roscoe had lost part of his right arm
working in the coal mines, so he had to learn to do all the
work with his left hand. The only work to be had was the
sharecropping on a farm. Working for 40 cents an hour and
half the tobacco crop they somehow managed to raise fourteen
children. Through heartaches and hard work they pushed each
child to get their education and to do well.
The children grew up
working hard beside their parents struggling through
adversity to achieve their parents' dream that their
children would grow up to have a better life. They watched
their sons grow up and leave to serve a tour of duty in the
Vietnam War. Fortunately, their prayers were answered and
each one returned home.
Each child grew up and
married and left home. But most Sundays you could find them
gathered around the family table coming home to visit the
parents who had always given so much. Their children would
make their parents dream come true. The eldest son would
become a pilot and work for NASA. Another son would come up
through the ranks and achieve the rank of Major. All the
children would grow up to be totally independant, hard
working individuals. Eventually the farm they all had toiled
on so long would be owned by the youngest daughter Julie and
her family. Their mother had lived long enough to see the
farm that she loved so much owned by a member of her family.
One of the threads that
weaved the family together was the love of music. Larry, one
of the younger boys had a talent for singing and would write
many songs about his family.He would later become a
recording artist and would write many songs about his
family. Larry would write the words and his brother Mike
would compose the music on his guitar. But the family's
talent didn't end there. Gerald would also write songs. One
of them would become the title song on Larry's first album,
"Times Like These." Larry would express his sorrow
at the loss of his mother in a song called "Mamas Going
Home". A song he wrote in remembrance of his dad was a
song called, "Would You Sing For Me", which would
become the title song for his second album. Larry would win
the 1998 Silver Heart Award For Song Writer Of The Year In
Country Gospel Music. Larry's thirteen brothers and sisters
have watched his career with pride.
Even today the old farm
house still rings with the sound of music and always the
love that was forever the foundation that raised fourteen
children.
- Kathy Cardwell-Barrett
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Larry Barrett
18024 Black Hollow Road
Abingdon, VA 24210-1504
Phone (276) 628-5221
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