In very large schools, it’s common to hear of the occasional successful alum. The success could be the result of becoming a champion athlete, a stellar stage performer, business tycoon, or race car driver; whatever. Use your imagination. Success is subjective, and it doesn’t always come with wealth.

Brookesmith School is amazing because, as small as it is, it has produced an inordinate amount of successful graduates. In the coming weeks, we will spotlight some of its successful alumni.

Take Jodie Armstrong, for example. Jodie is a 1984 Brookesmith graduate. She attended Brookesmith her sophomore through senior years.

Jodie has owned and operated Brownwood Music And The Baker Street Recording Studio since 1996. There’s a lot of history between 1996 and 1976, when Jodie began her career in music by competing in the National Federation Music Festivals and the National Piano Playing Auditions. She achieved Superior Ratings in the Junior Division at the District, State and National levels. Her artistic abilities included singing, saxophone, bass cello and acting. After high school, Jodie attended Howard Payne University briefly, before taking a job as a singer for the blues and classic rock group Texas Wildfire. In 1994 Jodie was inducted as a Charter Member of the Singing Women of Texas. In 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2008, Jodie received recognition in “WHO’S WHO for American Women in Business” and most notably, Brownwood Chamber “Woman of the Year for Brownwood” 2014. Not bad for a country girl.

“Blues” is a passion, but gospel is a calling. Jodie served as a children’s choir and drama Program Director from 1987 through 2004. In recognition of her efforts, she received a Merit Award for Superior Achievement in Children’s Choir and Drama Programs from the Texas Baptist Association of Music. Almost concurrently, she received the Award of Merit for Musicianship in Instrumentation from the State of Texas. Jodie has many, many awards not listed here. There are too many! But all of them attest to her rare and special musical artistry.

Jodie has retired from touring. She may have given up sharing the stage with such names as BB King, Bobby Bland, Johnny Duncan, Sunny Throckmorton, Bruce Channel and Rick Killough. But, fortunately for us, she continues to minister locally and can be heard tickling the ivories and singing at the High Mesa Cowboy Church.

(contributed by Bob Contreras, Public Relations Director, Brookesmith ISD)