" ▁Whit lock ▁( born ▁ 1 9 5 4 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁song writer ▁and ▁music ian , ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁Academy ▁Award - and ▁Golden ▁Glo be - win ning ▁song ▁" Take ▁My ▁Bre ath ▁A way , ▁" from ▁the ▁film ▁Top ▁Gun , ▁which ▁he ▁co - w rote ▁with ▁Giorg io ▁Mor oder . ▁ ▁Tom ▁Whit lock ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Spring field , ▁Missouri . ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁for ▁the ▁song ▁" Take ▁My ▁Bre ath ▁A way " ▁( per formed ▁by ▁Ter ri ▁N unn ▁of ▁the ▁band ▁Berlin ) ▁in ▁the ▁movie ▁Top ▁Gun ▁- ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁five ▁songs ▁written ▁for ▁the ▁movie ▁by ▁Whit lock ▁and ▁Giorg io ▁Mor oder . ▁" D anger ▁Zone " ▁performed ▁by ▁Ken ny ▁Log g ins ▁was ▁Whit lock ▁and ▁Mor oder ' s ▁other ▁hit ▁from ▁Top ▁Gun . ▁ ▁Career ▁Whit lock ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Spring field , ▁Missouri . ▁Many ▁famous ▁mus icians ▁visited ▁the ▁city ▁as ▁it ▁hosted ▁television ▁show ▁O z ark ▁J ub ile e , ▁influen cing ▁Whit lock ▁to ▁play ▁drums . ▁ ▁So on , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁session ▁music ian ▁working ▁with ▁notable ▁compos ers ▁like ▁Wayne ▁Car son , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁drum mer ▁for ▁live ▁bands . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 , ▁Whit lock ▁begun ▁writing ▁songs ▁at ▁the ▁piano . ▁During ▁his ▁high