Richard Cranor was born in rural Alabama to an unwed mother. Around his first birthday, she met a young navy cook who convinced her to marry him and move to southern California.Growing up, he spent his time going to San Diego beaches and learning how to surf. He also became an avid artist, spending a lot of time drawing and painting.When 9 years old, his mother became a Jehovah's Witness. The family, already strained by the effects of the father's alcohol and drug abuse, (and now by the tens ...[Read Story]