LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A career in music wasn’t always Haydon Wiginton’s plan for what he wanted to do with his life.
As he puts it, there was only one thing that captured his attention.
“I’m a football guy, that’s all I’ve been,” Wiginton said. “My dad’s a football coach, I’ve played football since I learned how to walk.”
Wiginton played wide receiver for the Midlothian Panthers during high school, then made his way to Oklahoma State before transferring to Texas Tech in 2022. Just before he made his way to the 806, Wiginton picked up the guitar for the first time and fell in love with his new hobby.
But it took the encouragement of his team for Wiginton to consider making his hobby his new career.
“Coach McGuire knew that I was learning guitar and he kind of pushed me to pursue that more,” Wiginton said, “and then he made me play in front of the team one day during fall camp at Cook’s Garage for the Red Dirt Rebel show with David Wilde. The team loved it, David loved it.”
Since 2023, Wiginton has been performing all over Lubbock, with his first studio album West Texas Dirt releasing in May of last year.
His concert later this month, in collaboration with the Lubbock Listening Room, is set to bring that experience to a unique environment. Micah Vasquez, the founder of Lubbock Listening Room, says there’s a good reason why he wanted to give up-and-coming artists this opportunity.
“Essentially, I wanted a place to where we could have local artists have a chance to tell their story and share their originals and not have to worry about covering a two-hour gig and playing fun covers and entertaining the masses of people that came to see them,” Vasquez said.
On Feb. 20, starting at 6:30 p.m., around 40 people will walk inside Johnny Velvet tees for Wiginton’s show, one that’s being described as a ‘tinier desk concert’.
Fans will see him play his guitar for 45 minutes to an hour, playing some of his favorites and some new material he’s been waiting to play for months. Wiginton has some big goals for the future, a list that he keeps on his phone as a reminder that his dreams are achievable with lots of hard work and perseverance.
“Number one, have an album go platinum,” Wiginton said, “two, sell out Billy Bob’s, three, play the Houston rodeo, four, play the Grand Ole Opry, five, play at Red Rocks. Whenever you get those in your head, that’s what you’re chasing and that’s what make it real.”
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