Thomas Whalen:
CLASS OF 1978
Morris Hills Regional High SchoolClass of 1978
Rockaway, NJ
U.S. Naval AcademyClass of 1982
Annapolis, MD
St. Cecilia SchoolClass of 1974
Rockaway, NJ
Thomas's Story
Life
Here's my bio that's posted on my band's website (Celebrate Grace)
Tom originally hails from Rockaway, New Jersey. He has lived in Maryland, Florida, Texas, Maine, Kansas and Japan, but he now calls the Gonzaga District of Spokane, Washington home. He attended the US Naval Academy, studied Systems Engineering and graduated with a BS in the class of 1982. It is also where he first picked up a guitar, much to the distress of his poor roommates and any midshipmen within earshot.
After graduating from the Academy, he became a Navy pilot, something he actually had a talent for, unlike his musical skills. Tom accumulated 2992 flight hours in several models including the P-3C Orion and T-34C Mentor. Having a little extra room in first his P-3 and then in his stateroom aboard Independence he was able...Expand for more
to drag his guitar to five continents, 32 countries, and 46 states. Throughout his service years, the State Department tracked his movements and put out travel advisories ahead of his arrivals, trying desperately to prevent his audio assaults from damaging American foreign policy.
Finally, after 12 years in the service, Tom settled in Spokane. He asked to join the St. Luke Worship Team in July 2002 and against their better judgment (perhaps because he passed off a James Taylor recording as his very own demo), they said he could stay. Initially he just played acoustic guitar, then later he added his questionable vocal skills to the mix as well.
Tom is married to the former Cheryl Ledbetter and is father to Sean (19), Beth (17) and Megan (17). He presently works as a Quality Engineer for General Dynamics.
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