Gary Westbrook serves as the Director of Athletic Bands and Associate Director of Bands at Tarleton State University. He also is involved in instrumental music education (student teaching supervision and online masters degree instruction) and is the primary teacher of percussion. He is the Director of The Sound & The Fury; the Tarleton State University Texan marching band, Foul Play; the Tarleton State University Basketball Band, and the Symphonic Band. He has served as director of the Tarleton State University Percussion Ensemble and Pandemonium, the Tarleton State University Steel Band.

Westbrook joined the band faculty at Tarleton State University in 2009, after having served as Assistant Director of Bands, Head of Music Education and Director of Percussion Studies at Louisiana Tech University.

A native of North Carolina, Westbrook received his Bachelor of Music from East Carolina University, and his Masters of Music Education and Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

He has served on the administrative staff of The Crossmen and The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (as assistant tour director), Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps (as percussion staff and as Corps Director), Gulf Coast Sound (as front ensemble arranger and staff) and Memphis Sound (as tour director). In 2007, Westbrook founded Masquerade Drum and Bugle Corps and served as director for two seasons. He has also served as Director of Corps Operations (assistant director) of Forte Drum and Bugle Corps from Grand Prairie, TX and Memphis Sound Drum & Bugle Corps. He was also a founding member of Three-Headed Monster Percussion Group.

He is an educational endorser of Pearl Drums, Adams and Evans Drumheads, Innovative Percussion mallets and sticks, and Sabian Cymbals.

Westbrook has presented research on the Identification of Mystery Jazz Recordings for TechTV (now G4), NPR, Rutgers Jazz Roundtable, IAJE and the Early Brass Society.

His professional affiliations include CBDNA, TMEA, PAS, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Westbrook has been named as a National Arts Associate (Distinguished Member) by Sigma Alpha Iota, and an honorary member by Kappa Kappa Psi.