"In many ways, {slim} Whitman and {Sonny} James were kindred spirits. Neither smoked nor drank, and both bad an aversion to working those honky-tonk crowds that did. But unlike James, Whitman faced the responsibilities of meeting a weekly payroll. To keep the band working, he had to accept the roadhouse and honky-tonk bookings he hoped to avoid. This posed a moral dilemma for James. 'Slim, I'm not comfortable doing that,' James told him. 'All my family ever played was theaters and auditoriums and schoolhouses.'

Although sympathetic to his front man's concerns, Whitman encouraged James to stick it out. 'Spend a couple of weeks with me,' he pleaded. 'Maybe I can work this out.' But as those club dates grew closer, James reluctantly gave Whitman his notice."