A memorial page for Pete Westman, aka Paul D. Westman, is at PDWestman.net.
Pete was a good friend and mentor to me. We knew each other about 14 years down in Victorville, CA. He passed away on March 8, 2004. Friends are welcome to leave comments here on this post.
Pete did a lot of recording with me and was a featured artist on the New Faces compilation releases by Road Records of Southern California.
Many know Pete as a commercial real estate agent in the Southern California High Desert. He sold real estate in the areas of Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Oro Grande, Phelan, et al.
Musicians know him as intense and naturally gifted. And I think all of us knew him as fun and challenging.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Pete will always be special to me. His music was the most important thing in his life and I feel blessed that I could be a part of that. He was very inspirational and I’m sure he’s up there right now singing and composing songs. Its ashame that we lost him so early. I’m greatful that I was able to have lunch with him a few months before he passed.
Tracy Mahoney
September 4th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Hi Tracy,
I’m so glad you posted. Yes, I miss Pete too.
September 5th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Hi all!!
I was Pete’s last love, and he was mine! Conrad, thank you so much for this website! I would be so honored to leave a few words on behalf of this incredible man! He and I were talking about getting married, we just weaved in our lives. Everthing was so easy, with the both of us. I loved his music, his soul! I so miss him!! Not a day goes by that I don’t. We wrote his last song . Naptown. I hope one day to publish that song, as a tribute to him. He was so very talented. Conrad, I hope we can finish that. I have been trying to reach you in the last few years. He has visited me in my dreams, I have talked to him, I know that sounds wierd, but when someone loves someone. They do those things. His sister and I talk on his birthday, and the day he left us. I wish I could have him back!! Anyway, Conrad, I also think he is making wonderful music where he is. That was Pete, a true musician who never had his tribute to the talent here on earth that he sooo deserved!! I so want that to happen!!
The love of his life!
Rhonda
September 6th, 2007 at 1:21 am
Hi Rhonda,
Good to hear from you! Yes, Pete recorded Naptown with me as a scratch but we never finished it. I’ll see if I can get a scratch of it and post it online.
Pete also had told me how serious he was about you. I remember him saying “She doesn’t do anything that bugs me” - and for Pete that was saying a LOT. Most people bugged him…. It was such a shock for all of us when he passed. Still seems surreal.
He had wanted to do that summer concert on the beach at Spring Valley Lake - I’m bummed he didn’t get a chance to do that.
Keep in touch!
September 13th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Conrad,
If you don’t have Naptown, I have the copy he made me. Yes, I also wish Pete could of planned that summer concert, it would of been so cool! I also agree, someone like him, to leave us at his time of life is robbery! So let us keep his music alive!! As a tribute to all that he accomplished.
Rhonda
February 1st, 2008 at 4:18 pm
conrad,
are you still there? Hope to hear from you. I am now living in Prescott Arizona. You have my email.
Rhonda
March 9th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
In memory of his death, March 8, 2004, I still miss ya!! And think of you everyday!!
Love
Rhonda
March 9th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Hi Rhonda! I really can’t believe it’s been four years already. He will always be greatly missed…
March 9th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Hi Conrad,
Yes, hard to believe it has been 4 yrs. Where does the time go?? I heard a guitarist named Chris Standring, he is similiar to Pete. Have you ever heard of him. chrisstandring.com if ya want to go to the site. When I heard him, I thought of Pete, and was is really ironic, he sorta looks like him. Hmmm.
June 29th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Pete and I grew up in the Pasadena area. I met P.D. in 1969 at a band jam in someone’s house. We later lived together in Topanga Canyon in 1972-74. It was at that time Andy Summers and Tim Rose would come over and rehearse at our house off Chaney Dr. This was before “The Police”. Everyday for two years Pete and I would play. I played the bass and Pete on his Les Paul. We later played in a band called the Refugees 1981-1984 with Anthony Barray and Joy Bonner. Our last project was PD’s originals over at his place in Victorville with Roy Hamer. He was writing incredible stuff. It had depth in the lyrics and the instrumentation was tight. I thought finally him and I would get a break and play together in front of the crowds. I still play and he’s always there in my heart to say things that were only between him and me. He showed me some great guitar chords I still use.
I Love you Pete.
Greg Elsasser (Chief)
June 29th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Hi Greg,
Thanks for posting. I had recorded some of Pete’s originals around 2000 or so and his song “Shelter” was the opening song on one of the Road Records “New Faces” CD compilations.
Then in 2002 he started working on a whole new group of songs and eventually started building his recording studio in his house. He would lay down tracks there then have me record the vocals and do the mixing. We were right in the middle of it all when he died.
He had planned on having all of us play in the summer of 2004 in Spring Valley Lake on the beach - I’m sure he had talked to you about that too. We were all really looking forward to it. His music was just so very cool.
He didn’t really ever strike me as having any form in his writing or playing. But it always sounded good. It was like he didn’t know any of the “rules” or standard songwriting shtick - which is what I think made his songs and tracks so cool.
I’ve thought about him a lot lately because we had always planned a road trip to Bangkok - and now I’m living in China. I kind of made it part way for him.
He was so much fun to talk to and so intense. Still really miss him as we all do…
August 1st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Hi All!
August 2 is Pete’s birthday. I just came by to wish him a Happy Birthday!! It was nice to hear you and Greg talk about Pete. I miss him alot!!
Rhonda