We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gary Lavard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Gary, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I knew as a young child that I wanted to be an Entertainer. At that time, singing was my passion. I remember in elementary school singing in talent shows and eventually, in my teen years, performing at local clubs around Detroit. By age 17, I’d released 3 independent albums, opened for major artists and made a name for myself in the Midwest. In my late teen years I discovered and pursued modeling; Modeling built confidence and eventually took precedence over making music and being an artist. As a model I got the opportunity to be in major commercials, billboards, and magazines; ripping runways during various Fashion Weeks. Through modeling I was exposed to the tv and film industry and where I caught the acting bug. One of my first and most memorable roles was playing a Zombie on the Walking Dead. Working on The Walking Dead is where I realized I wanted nothing more than to be an Actor. It was the joy and fire I had after working a 15hr day on a film set. I haven’t stopped or looked back since.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
I am Gary Lavard. An Actor… I played on shows such as The Walking Dead, Blue Bloods, and various series on the Investigation Discovery channel.
A Producer… I’ve executive produced my own content and series (My Life) for my YouTube page under my own imprint, GLO Media Network.
An artist and performer… my new song Love Back is out now! (https://songwhip.com/
Rather music, film or whatever I get into next… Im intentional and I have a passion for creating art.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Getting that message or that DM from someone saying “you inspire me”, “your story/journey helped me overcome what I was going though”, “I kept going because of you”.
Not to be cheesy but messages like this are the best reward. It lets me know that Im using my talents and gifts in ways that God intended.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
At this time in my life, my goal or mission is to create a legacy. I want to be known for great things.
…for having a positive impact on people.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: lavard.official
- Facebook: garylavard
- Twitter: garylavard
- Youtube: YouTube.com/garylavard
Image Credits
Carlos Jones Photography