BACKGROUND A life-long resident of the Dallas area, band leader Whiteman graduated in 1985 from Bishop Dunne High School. He then attended the University of North Texas (UNT) in nearby Denton, TX, located 35 miles north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. While attending UNT, Whiteman joined the Dallas Fire Department in 1989 and worked for Dallas Fire-Res- cue for 28 years. He served the Dallas community as a firefighter, a paramedic for ten years, and a fire dispatcher for his final eight years. Whiteman, on his time with a paramedic, “I loved helping people. I realized that was a natural thing for me. I consider it a must for sanity in this line of work. I loved the camaraderie with some great people at the station too. Even if it was not on the news, making a difference was a regular thing—most of what we did happen without much knowledge. Shootings, stabbings, heart attacks, car accidents, medical emergencies, fires, and rescues became routine, and the job is very unforgiving. I experienced more sadness and death than I cared to think about. To cope, I developed a sense of humor and calm even in the worst situations. That’s good and bad. I had to learn how to turn it on and off, and it wasn’t always easy when I left work.” MUSICAL BEGINNINGS The music began to interest Whiteman when he was in elementary school. Whiteman, on the influence of music, “Music has always affected me emo- tionally. Certain sounds, tones, moods, etc. It was every essence of what I
“THE BAND SHOWCASES PHENOMENAL SINGERS, AN ELECTRIC AND INTERACTIVE FIVE-PIECE HORN SECTION, AND A VERY EXPERIENCED RHYTHM SECTION ...”
was; I didn’t realize it when I was that young, but I was captivated when I first saw a friend playing an electric bass guitar. I had so many different interests then I didn’t realize how much music affected me until later in life. Music is something I can focus on, which is not easy for me since I suffer from Atten- tion Deficit Disorder which that I’ve had to fight through my entire life.” The piano was Whiteman’s first instrument as a child, and he switched to playing the trumpet in high school. He tried drums and percussion in college and “was way over my head.” Whiteman, “when I was a pre-teen,
I wanted a guitar so bad. My parents didn’t seem to be fans of that! So I never got one from them. I think that made me more fascinated with having one. So I purchased my first guitar after high school.” BAND LEADER Early in his music career, Whiteman was a member of several small local Dallas bands. “One day working at the fire station, we had an automatic fire alarm call at a nearby restaurant. Shortly after arriving at the scene, I handled the false call. We talked briefly with the manager on our way back
WINTER 2023-2024 ♦ THE JOURNAL 57
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