Friends mourn Tom Whitlock, Springfield writer of 'Danger Zone' and 'Take My Breath Away'
He was not on the list.
Tom Whitlock, an Academy Award and Golden Globe winning songwriter from Springfield, died Friday in Tennessee following a battle with Alzheimer's disease, several friends confirmed.
Whitlock, who was born in 1954, was best known for writing the songs "Take My Breath Away" and "Danger Zone," which were both featured in the 1986 movie "Top Gun."
A Glendale High School graduate, Whitlock moved to California in 1983 with aspirations of hitting it big with his rock band. Instead, he found work as an assistant engineer in studios, participating in recording efforts for "Scarface" and "Beverly Hills Cop."
Whitlock teamed with Giorgio Moroder (who he met after fixing Moroder's car) for the "Top Gun" songs. "Danger Zone" was written to match the opening carrier-deck scene, but "Take My Breath Away" actually inspired the filmmakers to shoot an additional love scene to match the song, according to past News-Leader reporting.
"Take My Breath Away" won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award in 1986 for best original song.
Larry Lipscomb, Whitlock's friend and former Glendale classmate, said Whitlock was a quiet man with a big heart who leaves behind a large group of friends scattered across the country.
"I'd like to sit down and have one more story with him," Lipscomb said, citing Whitlock's propensity to entertain friends with stories of his Hollywood adventures.
As a young adult, Whitlock would often join the Ozark Mountain Daredevils as a fill-in drummer. Daredevils member John Dillon said he was saddened to hear about Whitlock's death.
"He was just a good musician and a really, really good guy," Dillon said.
Another Daredevils member, Michael "Supe" Granda remembers having a blast playing music alongside Whitlock, who he said had a "really dry wit."
"The night he got his Oscar, we were all nervous wrecks," Granda said. "I was in my house, watching it on TV and I was nervous. When they announced that he and Giorgio won the Academy Award, yeah I was was proud of that boy. You bet I was."
Granda said despite all of Whitlock's success he remained a down-to-earth, relatable person.
In addition to the "Top Gun" hits, Whitlock also found success with several other projects, including "Hand in Hand," which was the theme for the 1988 Summer Olympics in South Korea, and "To Be Number One" — which was the theme of the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
In 2012, Whitlock was honored at the Library of Congress by the the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Later that year, he was awarded a bachelor's degree from Drury University. Whitlock took classes off and on at Drury throughout the 1970s but never completed two piano proficiency exams. The university eventually decided to waive the uncompleted piano proficiency requirement in light of Whitlock's success in the music industry.
Later in life, friends say, Whitlock split time between Nashville and the Springfield, Missouri.
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Thomas Ross Whitlock
Born 1954
Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Died February 17, 2023 (aged 68–69)
Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation(s) Songwriter, musician
Instrument(s) Drums
Thomas Ross Whitlock (1954 – February 17, 2023) was an American songwriter and musician, best known for his Academy Award-and Golden Globe-winning song "Take My Breath Away", from the film Top Gun, which he co-wrote with Giorgio Moroder.[1]
Career
Whitlock was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri. Many famous musicians visited the city as it hosted television show Ozark Jubilee, influencing Whitlock to play drums. Soon, he was a session musician working with notable composers like Wayne Carson, as well as a drummer for live bands. At the age of 15, Whitlock began writing songs at the piano.[2] During his high school years at Glendale High School, in Springfield, Missouri, he divided his time between studying during the day and playing drums with rock bands on the weekends throughout the Midwest. He entered Drury University in 1971 to major in music. The university honored him as Distinguished Alumni in 1998, and with an honorary doctorate in music the following year.[3][4]
In 1983, Whitlock travelled to Los Angeles, California, planning to start a band there. While helping his friend Dave Concors at the now defunct studio Davlen Sound Studios, Whitlock met famed composer Giorgio Moroder as he complained about brake defects in his Ferrari. Whitlock purchased some cans of brake fluid and proceeded to fix Moroder's car. Moroder eventually hired Whitlock for work at his studio. In the meantime, he studied recording with Moroder's engineer Brian Reeves, given the studio was busy with films such as Scarface, Flashdance and Beverly Hills Cop, and wrote his own songs.[2] Prior to the production of the Top Gun soundtrack, Moroder found his songwriting partners Keith Forsey and Pete Bellotte unavailable, and knowing Whitlock was a lyricist invited him for the project.[2] Whitlock and Moroder co-wrote five songs for Top Gun including "Take My Breath Away" and the Kenny Loggins hit "Danger Zone". ASCAP shows 113 songs registered, performed by artists such as Berlin, Bonnie Tyler, Jennifer Rush, Michael McDonald, Ray Charles, Graham Nash, Falco, Diana Ross, Teddy Pendergrass, Roger Daltrey, and John Entwistle.
Whitlock and Moroder had other collaborations, for the films Over the Top, American Anthem and Rambo III, and also co-wrote the official theme songs for both the 1988 Summer Olympics ("Hand In Hand") and the 1990 FIFA World Cup ("To Be Number One").
In 2012, the Library of Congress honored Whitlock for his songwriting contributions.[5] Whitlock was also drummer of the Missouri band, The Dog People, with Michael Granda (aka Supe Dujour), Jim Wunderle, and Terry Wilson.
Death
Whitlock died in Tennessee on February 17, 2023. He had Alzheimer's disease in his later years.[6]
Filmography of songs
Top Gun (1986) ("Take My Breath Away", performed by Berlin; "Danger Zone", by Kenny Loggins; "Radar Radio" by Giorgio Moroder featuring Joe Pizzulo; "Lead Me On" by Teena Marie; "Through the Fire" by Larry Greene, all co-written by Giorgio Moroder)
American Anthem (1986) ("Wings to Fly", performed by Graham Nash, co-written by Giorgio Moroder)
Over the Top (1987) ("Winner Takes It All" by Sammy Hagar; "Meet Me Half Way" by Kenny Loggins; "In This Country" by Robin Zander; "Take It Higher" and "Mind Over Matter" by Larry Greene; "All I Need Is You" by Big Trouble; "Gypsy Soul" by Asia; "I Will Be Strong" by Eddie Money; all co-written by Giorgio Moroder)
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987) ("Nightlife" and "Overdrive", both performed by Larry Lee and co-written by Larry Lee and Steve Bates)
Fatal Beauty (1987) ("Criminal", performed by Shannon; co-written by Sylvester Levay)
Dream a Little Dream (1989) ("Whenever There's a Night", by Mike Reno; "Never Turn Away", by Chris Thompson; both co-written by John William Dexter)
Let It Ride (1989) ("Money Talks", "Win or Lose")
Navy SEALs (1990) (writer: "Strike Like Lightning", "Shadows")
Fire, Ice and Dynamite (1990) ("Rock Noon", by Dominoe, co-written by Harold Faltermeyer and Brian Reeves; "Get Ready", by Rockafella, co-written by Faltermeyer)
Out for Justice (1991) ("Temptation", by Teresa James; co-written by Todd Smallwood)
Boris and Natasha (1992) ("I Want It All", by Marietta, co-written by David Darling)
10 Things I Hate About You (1999) ("Even Angels Fall", by Jessica Riddle)
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