Musician

One of the premier trumpet players on the planet would have never gone the life route he did if not for his Marion music teachers — Nancy Lutz, John Harris, Joe Guth, F. Ritchie Walton, James Carr, James Moritz, and Lee Brown — all of whom gave him encouragement, guidance and support at levels he’s never experienced anywhere else. Tim set a United States Air Force record for the fastest promotion to Staff Sergeant (E-5) in his time as a USAF bandsman. He was also awarded two Air Force Achievement Medals. Tim was the Principal / Lead / Featured Solo Trumpet on the Crystal Cathedral's internationally broadcast Hour of Power TV show. With dedicated camera time on almost every broadcast, and with a viewership of about 100 million people a week for the Sunday show and half a billion for the Christmas Eve services, he was the most televised trumpet player in the world. He conceived and helped design the Tim Wendt model trumpet (1601) made by Kanstul Musical Instruments. Tim has been seen and heard as a sideline musician in several movies and television shows, including The Flintstones - Viva Rock Vegas, Red Dragon, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, SMASH, and The West Wing. He has played on national tours with Michael Crawford, John Tesh, Brian Setzer, The Dallas Brass, Opera a la Carte, and Ricky Fante. National television show appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Ellen, and Soul Train. Tim played Lead Trumpet for Aretha Franklin (including her Radio City Music Hall debut concerts), Don Rickles, Frankie Avalon, Joan Rivers, Joe Piscopo, Wayne Newton, and performances with Frank Sinatra Jr., Bernadette Peters, Gladys Knight, Mary Wilson (of The Supremes), and others. As of 2018, Tim had played for more 280 musicals, operas, and revues, including 14 Broadway shows, one of which was Guys and Dolls with fellow Marion Giant alumnus actor Jim Walton. Others include The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Anything Goes, Gypsy, Young Frankenstein, Legally Blonde, Spamalot, Hairspray, and Beauty and the Beast. Tim’s very first recording session was for the Marion Easter Pageant in 1973, with Jim Moritz as MD. Since then he has done more than 800 recording sessions, and he attributes his success to his Marion teachers.