God is great, beer is good and people love Hayley!

I know the world already knows that my little sister Hayley won the 98.5 KVOO contest and got to sing with Billy Currington last night at The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino Tulsa. A couple of stories behind the story.

Hayley did an amazing job. Pics were up on Facebook before she got off stage and the video I shot is here: (terrible audio but good visual) http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=427657873916480

The tour videographer said his video should be up later today on:
http://www.billycurrington.com/

Hayley was selected just before the show and with zero notice my parents were able to find tickets at the venue. They had to buy them from a couple because the show was sold out. My brother-in-law, Wade, lucked into a standing room only ticket for me and so it was. We all got to see the show! And what a great show it was. Two opening acts and onto the main event.

Currington played all of his hits and a few new tracks before coming back onstage for his encore. As the third song began he announced that it was time to welcome a local girl that had won a contest to sing onstage and added, “she can sing pretty darn good.” Originally a duet with Shania Twain, “Party for Two”, kicked in gear as Hayley walked out and as if singing wasn’t enough pressure she had the opening line. NAILED IT!

People were cheering and I was acting the fool as they say. If you didn’t know better you would say she had been doing this her whole life. A true professional with nerves of steel she would later confess that she ‘kind of blacked out for most of it’. I doubt it. Currington grabbed her hand and pulled her across the stage and at one point put his arm around her as they sang their hearts out.

Currington’s manger also told Hayley that other than Shania, she was the only female artist he had sung with on stage. Not too shabby.

Everyone was pumped and he finished off the show with a classic Hank song, “Family Tradition” and one of his own biggest hits “Good Directions”.

After the show Hayley and Wade met me down on the floor and I hugged her and told her how awesome she did. Multiple people came up and said how awesome it was and how jealous they were of her and her grin was ear to ear. Talk about being high on life, at that moment all the worries of the world were gone and pure joy shined through.

Proud again of my little sister and hope this is only the beginning of a new string of big stage performances.
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This weekend it is just me and the kid at home. I wonder what kind of trouble we can get into? Should make for some good stories that I hope you all enjoy.

Thanks for reading!!! The first full week is on the books.

Always my little sister.

January 26th, 1987 – I have enjoyed the world as an only child for the last four years. Life is good; I am the center of attention and can do no wrong. Surely it would be the same forever. Being waited on hand and foot. Food naps and toys. What a life!

January 27th, 1987 – A little baby, semi-cute, not sure what the fuss is all about. Mom and Dad seem happy about it, but why? They already broke the mold with me. I guess I’ll wait and see how this shakes out.



Every day since –

I adore my little sister. Sure, now she is married and works in corporate America and can rent a car but she is always my little sister. We always worked as a team from even the earliest cover-ups. Our mutual respect and understanding of “us vs. them” was clear. An unspoken bond that remains still today.

I guess some brothers and sisters fight like cats and dogs, but we never went down that path. In part a result of a four year age gap and in part our parents just wouldn’t allow it. Thinking back to childhood, almost every memory from my house involves my little sister or music or both.

One of our first projects together was a music video, George Michael’s Faith to be exact. I played lead mime-guitar and looked as cool as a seven year old can look in sunglasses and a black t-shirt. On back up vocals and keyboards, little sister in her night gown, age 2(or less.) 1989 was a great year for music Don’t Worry Be Happy won Song of the Year at the Grammys and Tracey Chapman was best new artist.

It was not until little sister hit Kindergarten that she took top billing. Those of you that know me now might find this hard to believe but I wasn’t the most outgoing in elementary school. An all school talent show K-5th was coming up and little sister decided it was time to shine. At the time I thought it was cute but now I realize how good she actually was at such an early age.

Being from Oklahoma, what better than a medley of songs from the musical “Oklahoma” to really tug at the judges heartstrings. Did I mention this was “Star Search” style judging before judging shows were cool? Hayley did the motions, sang the songs without flaw and sporting pigtails and painted on freckles took the grand prize!

There has always been music in the air at our house. Hayley and I were Disney children, we used to sing “A Whole New World” for hours trying to get it right. Even then it was clear she was the better of the two, but she didn’t lead on that I was bringing her down.

We made music videos every few years just goofing around and making mom and dad laugh mostly. I hope to get a few of those gems online for all to see soon, look out. We didn’t know we were making viral videos at the time because the internet was still just a twinkle in Al Gore’s eye.

Hayley would go on to win another title the following year. Skip ahead about ten years. We sit in a small recording studio in Neodesha, KS. The studio is an old fur vault from the standard oil days and the musicians are nobody you know, but have been everywhere and seen it all.

Hayley laid down vocals over a few weeks time and the album was called “More to Come...” http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hayleypeck she was leaning toward singing more than school. We co-wrote a couple of the songs and in fact one of them will be a hit someday, I am sure of it. All good things come to those who wait. Just like when we were little I was her biggest fan.

Months passed by and one day a call comes from an unavailable number to dad’s cell phone. It seemed impossible that a billionaire would be calling, but sure enough Garth Brooks had heard Hayley’s album and wanted to meet with her and our entire family.

In a conversation at his modest pre-mansion home he told Hayley in so many words, go to school, music will always be there waiting if you want to come back. He didn’t say she was lacking the voice, in fact his quote as I remember it was “your voice comes across smooth with the music, not abrasive like most.”

Haylo, nickname from way back, did go to school. She accomplished many things in college. A successful joining of a sorority, leading musical productions graduating with a degree and a job and the man she now calls hubby.

Since college we have both tried out for Nashville Star in Oklahoma City together. American Idol in Austin. And even competed in an Okie Idol contest in our hometown. (I won the whole thing.) And just recently we both submitted videos to sing on stage with Billy Currington at his concert in Tulsa. Hayley is in the top four and will get a chance to sing for his manager tonight and in my opinion will no doubt win the chance. I think there has been a shift in the way our life paths are crossing back and forth. Writing, singing and dreaming have never been a problem, now it is time to capitalize.

I hope this isn’t too much pressure for my little sister. What am I saying? No such thing.

We have always been so close. Building robots from cardboard, setting up a haunted house for our parents, even making a cooking video as grow adults for dad when he was in the hospital. I think I normally spark the video idea but she always goes along with it. I think it is about time to make a new video, Hayley Westwood: Supernova.

I am still her biggest fan. Sorry other family. The beauty part of self-proclaimed titles is they are undeniable to the creator. I wish my little sister the best of luck and look forward to the journey ahead. Thanks for being such a great sister, sister-in-law and aunt. I am proud of you and proud to be your big brother.