Winfrey has always had a love for music whether it be from his family singing in the church growing up, or his cousin being Misty Edwards, a well renowned Christian music artist with multiple albums.
Winfrey didn’t learn to play a guitar until he graduated college, but ever since he has made time to improve. Now at 49-years old, Winfrey has gone from just tinkering with the guitar in his barn to crossing off a huge item from his bucket list by living out a dream playing his guitar and singing in front of live audiences.
“It’s having fun,” Winfrey said. “Five or six years ago I really started playing the guitar again. I played a couple gigs here and there and it was just me sitting on a barstool. I had a makeshift band with some college buddies, and it was fun.”
Last summer, Winfrey and his family invited the Canyon Chamber of Commerce executive director, Roger Remlinger, to their house for the evening. Winfrey played his guitar in front of Remlinger who was immediately impressed. From there, Remlinger, made Winfrey a deal he couldn’t refuse.
“Roger sets up the City of Canyon 4th of July concert every year at the First United Bank Center,” Winfrey said. “He had no idea I could sing or play the guitar. After hearing me in my barn last summer, Roger suggested that this coming Fourth of July that I would come open for William Clark Green. I told him he was crazy, but he persisted.
“So, we made a deal. I told him if our Canyon Eagle football team won a playoff game last fall, I’d do it. We ended up beating Burkburnett in Childress in the bi-district round. So, when I’m celebrating with my coaches, players and family, Roger slapped me on the back and said I’ll see you on July 4th. By then I thought why not. I was able to get ahold of Jeff Gerber who is a great guitar player, and we came up with a band.”
“It was a really cool feeling,” Winfrey said. ‘I’ve always wanted to play for a crowd, and I’ve always wanted to sing a song on stage and the crowd sing back. I’ve always wanted to step away from the microphone and hear the crowd sing the song we’re singing without me doing it. I have gotten to experience that and there’s not another feeling like that in the world.”
What put the icing on the cake of a magnificent experience, is that his family was live and in person for the event. Winfrey’s wife Jennifer was front row, along with his four daughters, Brylee, Kenadee, Abree and Sydnee
“I’m watching my wife Jennifer smile, and my kids are cheering,” Winfrey said. “It was the ultimate moment. I was having a blast. My heart was racing when I was headed to the First United Bank Center for a soundcheck kind of like it does on a Friday game night. I knew I was about to go on a stage and when that moment came, I was ready to go and entertain. I was also able to just sit back in the middle of the concert, take the moment in and really enjoy it.”
Winfrey is also showing off his versatility as a lesson to the youth at Canyon High School. Yes, around Canyon Winfrey is known as the football coach, but he wants people to see that he has a lot more layers to his persona.
“Early in my coaching career being a football coach took priority over my wife and kids,” Winfrey said. “But as I get older, I’ve learned how to balance. I spend more time with my family, and adding music to my life makes it fun. Whether I’m good at it or not, it’s great to venture out and get uncomfortable. It’s also a lesson to our players. Get uncomfortable or try things you’d never thought you’d do. That’s another reason I’m doing that. I am a football coach but I’m also much more.”
Despite the newfound lease on life playing his guitar, don’t expect to see Winfrey on tour anytime soon.
Winfrey will be hanging up the guitar as he and his Eagles prepare for fall camp in August, but before that time comes, he will take the stage one more time for a special cause playing a benefit concert this weekend to help raise relief efforts following the tragic tornadoes that devastated Perryton and Matador in June.
Following conversations with his good friend, Jerry Schaeffer, the two decided that Winfrey will play one more set this time at the Sad Monkey Mercantile, which is a new business on the way toward the Palo Duro Canyon with all the proceeds going to help those communities.
“The Texas Panhandle is a family, so whatever we can do to help these comminutes we’re going to,” Winfrey said. “When these tornadoes hit Perryton and Matador, Jerry and I were thinking what we could do to help. Knowing I was doing this concert for Independence Day; Jerry thought why not do a benefit concert at the Sad Monkey. I’m going to go unplugged and sit down and do a concert out there to raise money. The band may come and jump in also, but whatever we make will go to Perryton and Matador.”
The benefit concert “Todd Winfrey unplugged” is set for 7 p.m. Saturday night at the Sad Monkey Mercantile which is located at 9800 Tx-217, on the way to the Palo Duro Canyon. There is a $10 cover charge with all proceeds going toward the tornado relief efforts for Perryton and Matador.