High School: Finding the Mic (or) Glee before Glee was a thing

Today I am sharing something I started almost a year ago. No, I'm not trying to be the next Tony Robbins but if my life story helps others why not put it out there. Sure I have a spin and a title I will share with you all later, but for now enjoy this excerpt and again thanks for reading the blog.



(An excerpt from a book I am trying to write.)

As the libido settled down and the church-going cooled, it was time for senior year. As a summer full of hanging in the pool, hauling hay and preseason football ended so began the class of 2001's epic rise to greatness. Some might say we had a swagger others call it cocky, but we felt unstoppable. State champions, academic standouts and an overall low arrest record. It was our school and everyone knew it. (I think most of the teachers left after we graduated because they felt they couldn’t possibly top our phenomenal group.) Don’t get me wrong, as I would find out later in life not everyone enjoyed high school like I did, but it is what you make of it. It was senior year when I found my confidence. I entered the Mr. Claremore Pageant (no swimsuit competition) read a poem and even sang in front of a crowd with one of my best friends Kyle Payne. This would not be our last stage shared. In an all school pep assembly we rocked the house with a love song to our girlfriends. (Standard issue, they were younger than us and thought it was awesome, I think.) And once more as my broadcasting career kicked off as a co-announcer for the powder puff football game. (We have been called bro-mates on more than one occasion.)

A brief description of powder puff football: In case you don’t know what powder puff football is please allow me to inform. This is the day when the most athletic girls in school join forces creating an uber-strong force of hotness and sport. School dress codes are null and void during this glorious game and in a perfect world competitiveness turns graphic as a result of tackling, despite the fact this is a flag football game. Everyone is welcome to skip class to be there and it stands out as one of the greatest events to take place during school hours. Pure Joy!

Wisecracking and commentating on coaching style and the level of play were among the highlights as we were allowed to do and say just about anything. If memory serves, a tense moment came when the red teams leading rusher burst around the left side sprinting for the end zone only to have her shorts ripped from her body revealing…. thank goodness underwear. It was a stellar moment for any high school teen and a perfect topping of an already wonderfully successful display of teen angst. (*see footnote)

Some gifts come in odd packages. These early days of being on a microphone would lead me further down the road of communications. I knew that if I could convey my emotions that others would listen and hopefully enjoy the sound and the words. I don’t feel like I cheated myself in high school one bit. Looking back my biggest regret remains not playing basketball all four years. It seems strange maybe but my level of confidence and the place I dug for myself prevented me from playing my favorite sport. This attitude is what brings me back to taking life by the horns and reaching out for success while welcoming failure as an opportunity to improve. We can’t always win and not everyone will like us, but we can always try and in trying we learn to like ourselves in both disappointment and success.


* There should be a graphic story about prom and how drunk I got and all the premarital escapades, but I didn’t do any of those things. Sorry to disappoint. Lots of sex stories in the marriage section though. Okay, I am being told by my wife that is not acceptable. Sorry to disappoint, again.

Happy Tuesday Everyone. Thanks for Reading!

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.

Singing to be on stage? Maybe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUUNJJp0Dxs&feature=youtu.be - Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONGPJu-UAGw&list=UUgVpXbzbFNTtQEWx8jYmMGQ&index=1&feature=plcp - Little Sister

Over this Easter weekend my little sister and I took time out from coloring eggs and eating ham to record a couple videos. These are the first videos I am posting on my newly renewed blog and hope to have many more of us singing. Everyone is a critic and I welcome all comments, just leave my mother out of it. (Your mommas so old she left her purse on Noah’s ark!)

This is for a contest our local radio station is running. Billy Currington is coming to Tulsa this Thursday and the winner of this “Stage-Crasher” contest gets to sing on stage! If nothing else maybe one of us will win and I can get some lyrics in front of a country artist. It’s who you know and I don’t know Billy Currington yet, but maybe soon.

This is a brief post but don’t worry much more is coming in this first full week of I started a Blog… get to reading!