Dawud Wharnsby
Poet
Known for combining the Islamic vocal music style of Anasheed with spoken word poetry, this songwriter, vocalist, poet, and multi-instrumentalist released such solo albums as The Poets and The Prophet and Blue Walls and the Big Sky.
During his late teens, he performed in a professional stage production of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar and went on to tour with a folk music group called Crakenthorpe's Teapot. In his early twenties, he was hired by several children's theater companies as both a puppeteer and a traveling actor.
In 2003, he converted to Islam and changed his legal name from David Howard Wharnsby to Dawud Ali Wharnsby.
A native of Ontario, Canada, he later spent time in Colorado and Pakistan with his wife and children.
He contributed to the scholarship fund of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation.