A love as simple as a melody.







The Band

When Justin Hooper met Kayla, his life turned upside down. As their relationship progressed, she turned from girlfriend to wife to bandmate to muse; their epic love story began as a few simple notes to a full-blown symphony, putting story books to shame and demonstrating the beauty of how a relationship grows: a simple parade.


<b>The ring.</b>
The Simple Parade bandmates--and soulmates-- Justin and Kayla Hooper met at California Polytechnic State University when they decided to spend the rest of their lives together. The ring pictured is the second edition after the first one got lost while Kayla was at work one day.'I initially proposed to her in Sydney, Australia. After she lost it, though, I made her another one and proposed to her a second time on this pier in Avila Beach, California. We only made it halfway down the pier because it was a cold day and Kayla was like, ’What are we doing out here, it is freezing!’ 
<b>Simplicity over time.</b>
Justin and Kayla Hooper display memorabilia from over the years as The Simple Parade began to evolve in Avila Beach, California. Justin holds their first albums made with bandmate Josh Cody. Kayla holds a Mustang News feature on the band from years later with bandmates Lance Iunker and Shawn Clark. 'It has been an ebb and flow with no consistent bandmates, just because of the nature of schedules,' Justin said. 'It is truly a simple parade.' 
<b>'The instruments are the true stars.'</b>
The Hoopers show off their musical expertise with a Takamine guitar and toy piano on the pier in Avila Beach, California. Kayla gives him an instrument considered out of the ordinary every year for Christmas--this toy piano was the first one she ever gave him. 'I will be writing a song and just turn to her and be like, ‘Hey, this song needs some flare, want to play this in it?’' Justin said. 'She picks them up so fast.'
<b>An award well-deserved.</b>
Kayla Hooper beams at husband Justin as he holds up the third place songwriter award from New Times for the original song 'Confetti' in Avila Beach, California. 'The Simple Parade has a lot of meanings, but primarily it comes from the first song we wrote as a single called ‘Confetti’ that is meant to convey the message of enjoying the simple thrills of your parade.' 
<b>The songwriter himself.</b>
Justin Hooper fingerpicks a song from the new album 'A Love Story' on the guitar in Avila Beach, California. 'I have been writing songs since I was 19, which was before I met Kayla. Over the years, they turned out to evolve into what love really looks like—not just the romance of it, but how much worth it everything is than I thought it would be. She is the muse.'
<b>Songs from the heart.</b>
Kayla Hooper from The Simple Parade admires husband Justin as he plays a ballad from the album 'A Love Story' in Avila Beach, California. 'I hear advice from other people about relationships, and I love putting that advice and what it means to me into this album about my love story with Kayla. The song ‘Sydney’ gives the sort of warning that sometimes you lose love and sometimes you throw it away. I got engaged to Kayla in Sydney, and it is where we started this whole new chapter together. Make sure that you do not forget it because it is so easy to throw it away when there are ups and downs. It is tough, but every time we come together stronger.'






The Story


When Kayla met Justin, she knew he was a man of few words…until he began expressing himself through music. He used the words he never could say through song, the lyrics helping him convey his emotions and the simple melodies healing the harshness of reality. When Justin became extremely ill, the power of music held the two together and suddenly Kayla as the “harmony to Justin’s melody” gave them the strength to find a solution.







The Dynamic Duo


Marriage is about more than just husband and wife under contract. It’s about being there for one another through sickness and health, better or for worst…like a bandmate, there are standards to be upheld in order for there to be success. The beauty of Justin and Kayla Hooper’s relationship is they are virtually each other’s rocks in every aspect of each other’s lives. Their music reflects the compassion and understanding they have in their relationship, whether it be learning a new instrument or deciding on what to eat for dinner, creating the ultimate dynamic duo.