The Whalum family legacy lives on

The AM/DM · Apr 7, 2026 · 1m

Among a city of talented musicians, the Whalums stand out. Kirk Whalum is a Grammy Award-winning saxophonist whose achievements include soloing on Whitney Houston's smash hit, "I Will Always Love You." Wendell Whalum was a respected organist, musicologist, composer, and longtime director of the Morehouse College Glee Club. Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum was a jazz saxophonist, singer and pianist who toured with Nat King Cole. Thelma Whalum was a classically trained pianist who played the organ at Metropolitan Baptist Church for nearly 50 years. But today's story isn't about those Whalums. It's about…