Fort Worth Songwriters Association: Featured Member Archives

    GARY PINKSTON

If any FWSA member could be said to deliver “arresting” performances, it would be Gary Pinkston, a career member of the law enforcement community. Our “singing cop” is in his fifth year of FWSA membership, and he has been an active participant in songwriting, live performances and the business side of music.

Gary served for nearly thirty years as an officer for DFW Airport, with the majority of his career spent in investigations, special operations, and supervision of both specialties. Since retiring from that organization, he has worked for the Tarrant County Sheriff's Department. During his tenure in law enforcement, he recorded many achievements - graduate of the FBI National Academy; trained by specialty law enforcement schools including the FBI’s Hostage Negotiation School and Scotland Yard’s Terrorist Negation School in London, England; worked with U. S. Army Special Forces Units, British SAS, Dutch Royal Marines and other elite units. Adding to this already impressive resume, he has also taught classes for the U.S. State Department to develop our nation's police programs.

Gary and his wife Debi have been married for 39 years, and raised three now-adult sons. He is a member of the Commanche Creek Band, a group which regularly performs as part of the house band rotation at Billy Bob's Texas. His group plays in many other venues both locally and throughout Texas, and they have opened for Hays Carl, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sonny Burgess and many others. As if his plate weren't already full, he is also involved in the business aspect of music as well, working for fellow FWSA member Gus Wolman's Winner's Circle Country Music Publishing company.

Our thanks to Gary for contributing to this piece. As a regular part of our feature, we ask members five questions about their relationship with the world of music. Here are Gary's responses:

What was the first song you heard that began your love affair with music?

“Moonlight Serenade” by Glenn Miller because as a very young child we listened to Big Band Music at all of our family functions.  Believe it or not I still enjoy listening to those nostalgic tunes today.

After a lifetime of listening to and playing music, what is the one song that's your favorite?

Too many for me to mention, but  “At Last” sung by Etta James has to be near the top.

What has been your biggest moment in music to date?

Stepping onto the Honky Tonk Stage at Billy Bob’s Texas with Comanche Creek Band for the first time.  It was quite a thrill and the place was absolutely packed.

You have a chance to meet and play with four famous musicians.  They are:

Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Craig Wiseman, and  Dean Dillon.

What is your most treasured piece of musical equipment or memorabilia?

My Martin OMC 41 RS.  They only made 200 of them and it is unbelievably beautiful.

You can listen to Gary's original song “I Fell in Love in Texas (In an Old Saloon)” by going to the "Music Clips" section and clicking on Gary's name.