Two Foot Fred
How My Life Has Come Full Circle
with: Lisa Wysocky
Country music celebrity Two Foot Fred shares his story of living with dwarfism, overcoming odds, and finding peace and success with a positive attitude.
Despite his physical limitations from birth—a form of dwarfism known as diastrophic dysplasia, a cleft palate, clubfeet, and scoliosis—Fred Gill rose above his circumstances to graduate college and open his first restaurant by the young age of twenty-two.
In 1998, Fred took what proved to be a life-changing trip to Nashville during the city’s annual country music celebration, where he met John Rich. That fateful meeting led to a regular job as Ambassador of Attractions for the band Big & Rich, as well as to numerous country music award shows and other television programs.
But while his successes are many, Fred has had more than his share of challenges, including “a quarter-life crisis” and troubles with depression, alcohol, and gambling. Like many other celebrities, Fred worked to find peace, turning to his small-town upbringing for solace and affirmation. Two Foot Fred shows that nothing can defeat you unless you allow it to, and that our lives are simply what we make of them.
Despite his physical limitations from birth—a form of dwarfism known as diastrophic dysplasia, a cleft palate, clubfeet, and scoliosis—Fred Gill rose above his circumstances to graduate college and open his first restaurant by the young age of twenty-two.
In 1998, Fred took what proved to be a life-changing trip to Nashville during the city’s annual country music celebration, where he met John Rich. That fateful meeting led to a regular job as Ambassador of Attractions for the band Big & Rich, as well as to numerous country music award shows and other television programs.
But while his successes are many, Fred has had more than his share of challenges, including “a quarter-life crisis” and troubles with depression, alcohol, and gambling. Like many other celebrities, Fred worked to find peace, turning to his small-town upbringing for solace and affirmation. Two Foot Fred shows that nothing can defeat you unless you allow it to, and that our lives are simply what we make of them.
Choose a format:
Buy from us:
- Howard Books |
- 272 pages |
- ISBN 9781451636215 |
- June 2012
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Praise
Read an Excerpt
ADAPTING TO LIFE WITH ME
“Cut,” screamed David Hogan in his British accent. “Let’s effing do it again.”
The rocking music was cued and the scene began to swell once again, filling the air around me.
“Three, two, one, action,” called Hogan, and I began to dance like I’d never danced before.
It was April 14, 2004. I remember the date clearly, because it was the day before tax day. Through a very odd set of circumstances, I found myself dancing in a music video on a pedestrian footbridge that spanned the Cumberland...
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Book Reviews
Reading Group Guide
This reading group guide for Two Foot Fred includes a Q&A with author Fred Gill. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
A Conversation with Fred Gill
In Chapter 1 you reference a documentary that you produced. What is this documentary about? Do you have any plans for its release?
It was something in my gut that I felt I had to capture. One purpose (which I know now, and didn’t know then) was to capture my mother on video before she passed away. The filming also helped me in writing the book. There are no plans to release it anytime soon, but who knows what the future will hold. Clips of it could also show up in other projects.
You and your family have developed many creative accessories to help you throughout your life, such as the walking sticks made by your grandfather and loops sewn into your pants by your mom. Given your business background and entrepreneurial spirit, have you ever thought about how you might be able to use your talents to make these items widely available to others with a similar disability?
Absolutely. It all funnels back to the nonprofit I am founding, the Freddie Foundation, and the ability to assess the needs of others due to working through my own needs. These experience see more
A Conversation with Fred Gill
In Chapter 1 you reference a documentary that you produced. What is this documentary about? Do you have any plans for its release?
It was something in my gut that I felt I had to capture. One purpose (which I know now, and didn’t know then) was to capture my mother on video before she passed away. The filming also helped me in writing the book. There are no plans to release it anytime soon, but who knows what the future will hold. Clips of it could also show up in other projects.
You and your family have developed many creative accessories to help you throughout your life, such as the walking sticks made by your grandfather and loops sewn into your pants by your mom. Given your business background and entrepreneurial spirit, have you ever thought about how you might be able to use your talents to make these items widely available to others with a similar disability?
Absolutely. It all funnels back to the nonprofit I am founding, the Freddie Foundation, and the ability to assess the needs of others due to working through my own needs. These experience see more
Video
TWO FOOT FRED: Official Song and Book Trailer
TWO FOOT FRED, the well-known emcee for country music stars Big & Rich's shows, walks much taller than his actual 38 inches.
TWO FOOT FRED: Official Song and Book Trailer
TWO FOOT FRED: Official Song and Book Trailer
TWO FOOT FRED
