The Whitinos Reunite

                                                                                  "Hey man, get your ass over here."

                Shawn speaking to Gil on the phone 1995

Gil's transfer to the USS CARL VINSON in Alameda, CA didn't help his marriage.  Things got worse for him.  The Whitinos helped him keep his sanity in Minnesota.  In fact, Gil often says, "The Whitinos kept me alive."  Without his friends and music, he had nowhere to turn.  Luckily, some of his shipmates formed a band called "Safe Working Load" which he joined and performed with in Jebel Ali, Dubai, Perth Australia, and Hobart Tasmania.

Things worsened at home upon Gil's return stateside.  The world just seemed to get darker andarker for him.  Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, Shawn called with the news that he and Brian had been working on original songs and a Whitinos reunion would be a great idea.  Gil hopped in his car and drove 1,900 miles to jam with his friends.  During that four day stay, The Whitinos completed a nine song 4 track recording.  Feeling renewed, Gil returned to California and heartache.

Shawn and Brian decided to go to California for a couple of weeks and give Gil a much needed lift.  Gil took the guys to The Alameda Saloon for an open jam which led to Joe Beltran asking to be the band's manager and getting a show booked the following week.

The boys also set up a recording session at Dance Home Sound Studio in Oakland.  Four songs were recorded that day:  Show Me That Thang, Ride On, Walk The Future, and Ain't Supposed To.  Joe told them that the tape would be sent to H-Town Records.  Meanwhile, The Whitinos geared up for their one and only California performance.

On a Tuesday night, during a driving rainstorm, The Whitinos performed before a packed Alameda Saloon.  The boys were understandably nervous since only a handful of crowd had heard them before.  They needn't have worried since their performance brought the audience to it's feet the entire evening and caused many new fans to throw money on the stage.  Not to be outdone by the dancers, Brian rolled on the stage while playing his bass and picked up a $20 bill with his teeth.  It was a night the guys will never forget.

A couple of days later, The Whitinos were contacted by Mr. Jones of H-Town Records.  He wanted them to come to Houston and record.  There could be big money in this.

Gil was leaving both the Navy and his wife later that year and since he would have his kids with him in Texas, a record deal in Houston didn't seem like a bad idea.  Shawn and Brian went back to Minnesota to plan their move.  Five months later, The Whitinos were heading down Interstate 35 towards an unknown future.