LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech wide receiver Haydon Wigginton is keeping busy this offseason as he prepares to release his country album on May 3rd.
Wigginton said he started playing guitar during the pandemic.
The Midlothian native got a little help from then-neighbor turned coach Joey McGuire, who gave him his first job when he arrived in Lubbock.
“He texted me and said, 'Hey, we're playing Cook's Garage in August, whatever, we're playing.'” And I was like, 'What? ’” Wigginton said. “He just threw me into it, and I think that became my whole career.”
Wigginton said he has support not only from his coaches but also from his teammates.
“They're supportive. We're going to practice and I'm trying to catch the ball over my shoulder or catch the ball over my shoulder and I hear my song coming out of the big speakers and you guys are singing. I can hear them doing it,” Wigginton said.
Wigginton said he was normally an introvert growing up, was knowledgeable about football and sang in the choir in middle school, but everything changed during college.
Wigginton, who is preparing a new album, talked about his influences and what he expects from the future.
“It's going to be very varied, we wanted to include a lot of things, old country, new country, acoustic country. I mean, it's such a vast genre, so it's really all regions of the country.” said Wigginton.
Wigginton said his biggest influences are Cody Johnson and Parker McCollum, but he's still trying to find his own sound and one that sounds like him.
Wigginton also talked about the similarities between his football and music careers.
“You can go into music, but on the football field you have to be tenacious and a perfectionist in everything you do, and when you make a record you have to be particular about everything and try to make it the best it can be. You have to work hard. It's pretty similar in that respect,” Wigginton said.
Haydon said soccer and schoolwork are still his priorities while music takes off, but he can see himself doing music full-time once his eligibility is up.
“You have to choose what you want to be good at. I mean, you can try as much as you want, but if you say you're committed to two things, you're lying. Because the Because if you do that, you just split everything you have into two different things,” Wigginton said. “Whatever I put into my music, obviously I do it to the best of my ability. After football is over, I want to do country music full time. I want to step it up a notch and do more.” I want to play more shows and put out more music.”
With this upcoming album, Wigginton said he wants his fans to get to know him more through his music.
“Everything I write is written by me, so I'm really just letting a piece of my heart out,” Wigginton said. “This is what I love to do and it’s so much fun, so why not keep doing it?”
Wigginton will host a release party at The Blue Light on May 2nd. His album will be released on May 3rd at midnight. Wigginton will feature at least nine songs and will be released in two parts. Part 2 will be released later this summer.
Wiginton's music can be found on Apple Music and Spotify.
