Garon Brett
This is Andrea again, here to write Garon’s bio since he is a long way from home right now. Garon is currently serving a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bogota, Colombia. He will return home and to the show the end of August 2012. We receive an email from him each Monday and he is having an incredible experience in Colombia. Even though we all miss him tremendously, we are so happy for him and proud of him even across the many miles.
Anyone who has seen Garon perform would probably be surprised to know that at one time he wanted nothing to do with music or the stage. Over the years, Garon has developed into a very gifted singer, songwriter, guitarist and stage performer, but he did not always have his current passion for music. When he was little, he was the most reluctant to join in the singing. Tom and I hoped and prayed that he would have a change of heart because we didn’t want to pursue music as a family unless everyone was on board. That change occurred during a visit to Branson. The family went to Silver Dollar City and watched the Haygoods perform. Garon wasn’t really interested in the music, but he loved all the tumbling they did. Not long after that, we were back home doing a performance in Texas and Garon was tumbling across the stage!
When we got hired to perform on the Showboat Branson Belle, Garon was just eight years old. We told the producers that we couldn’t guarantee that he would want to be a part of the show, and that we wouldn’t push him to do so. But much to our pleasant surprise, as soon as we got to Branson and began rehearsals, Garon did not miss a beat. He hasn’t missed a rehearsal or a show ever since.
Since he was so young when we started performing in Branson, Garon has had unique on-the-job music training experience. From stage performance, to studio recording to live video shoots, he’s been exposed to nearly every aspect of the music business. But even with all the abnormalities of an entertainment lifestyle he was still able to carry on a somewhat normal life through high school. He was an avid basketball player like his brother, and earned All-State honors for basketball. He was also his high school’s Salutatorian. It was during his senior year of high school that he started playing the guitar and piano and writing his own music. That is when he and all the rest of the family really began to realize he had something unique and special to offer the music world. With college basketball offers on the table, Garon made the difficult decision to move on from basketball and dedicate his future to music.
Garon has always had an amazing ear for music, and the ability to pick up choreography and other musical concepts really quickly. He also has a natural stage presence that can’t be taught. In the music business it’s called the “it” factor. You just know “it” when you see “it.” When we first started singing in Branson, Garon was a boy soprano and sang many parts right along with Briahna. When his voice began to change, we all were amazed as it got lower each and every day. We were thrilled when he finally settled in as a rich, warm bass. It didn’t take long for him to get his upper register back and he now has the best of all worlds with a four octave range. People of all ages love to watch Garon perform because of his smooth style, charming smile, fun sense of humor and commanding stage presence. I especially enjoy seeing Garon and Brydon work the stage together. They have an awesome brotherly chemistry that really warms this mother’s heart, because it truly is just an extension of their real life relationship. It also makes me very happy to see him venture into the world of vocal arranging. His very first effort, an arrangement of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” which he did for Brydon’s a cappella group at SVU, totally blew us away, and I know there’s lots more where that came from.
Since Garon isn’t here to write for himself or to tell me what I should or shouldn’t write, I’m going to wax sentimental for a moment. In addition to being a great musician and performer, Garon is just a great person. He’s thoughtful and tender hearted. That’s why he writes such good music. He cares about people and how they feel and he has compassion for the underdog. Garon’s the baby of the family and has a special place in his Mammy’s heart. I miss him and I look forward to the day when he’s safely back home. He’ll be singing new songs then, most likely with a Latin flair and in Spanish, and with even deeper understanding and new perspective on the world! I can’t wait to hear them!
FUN FACTS ABOUT GARON
Birthday: October 27
Artistic Influences: Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind and Fire, John Mayer, Brian McKnight, David Foster
Sounds Like: Michael Buble, John Mayer, Dolly Parton, and Just Kidding
Favorite Artists: Earth, Wind and Fire, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Michael Buble, Brian McKnight, Stevie Wonder
Movies: The Bourne movies, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Nacho Libre, and any live concerts
Books: Any Scripture, The Great Brain series, The War of Art
Hobbies: Listening to music; Making music; Photography; Spending time with family and friends
Schooling: Hi Skool grajuat frum Trinity Christian Academy, Freshman @ BYyou
