He’s lived on the streets of Baltimore, performed all over the world, taught in the halls of The University of New Mexico, and now he’s on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. UNM Music Professor, Dr. Richard White (R.A.W. Tuba) continues to reach new audiences after being interviewed by Noah on The Daily Show for the release of his new book ‘I’m Possible.’

Emmy and Peabody award-winning The Daily Show is a late-night series that covers major headlines of the day with a reality-based lens on Comedy Central. The Daily Show first aired in 1996 with host Craig Kilborn and has now been hosted by Trevor Noah since 2015.

Trevor Noah is a famous South African comedian and political commentator who started his career in 2002. Since having Noah, The Daily Show has gone on to be the most engaging late-night talk shows with viewers across the world tuning in from different platforms.

Recently, The Daily Show included a special guest, UNM Music Professor, Dr. Richard White.

Noah opened the interview by saying, “This is one of the strangest stories of overcoming that I have ever read—in a really beautiful way.”

During the interview, the pair discuss White’s childhood and how he was able to overcome his trials and tribulations. White credits some of his triumphs to different methods, one being the use of his imagination to get through cold and hunger-filled nights.

“The universe blessed me with an extraordinary imagination,” said White. “I had to imagine a full stomach, I had to imagine a warm blanket to the point that it was survive or not survive.”

In his adulthood, White believes everyone wants the three C’s in life: a choice, a chance, and change.

“I was given a chance to make the right choices to see the kind of change that would better my life.”

White certainly did better with his life. Not only has he overcame poverty and homelessness, played all over four of the seven continents, and gone on to inspire people across the world, but he is now a full professor at The University of New Mexico and the principal tubist for the New Mexico Philharmonic.

Dr. Richard White writes even more about his life challenges and triumphs in his new autobiography, ‘I’m Possible,’ available now.

"I want you to read this story and feel like you are a superhero. I want you to read this book and dream big, impossible dreams," said White. "Looking at the beginning of my life, everyone would have thought it was impossible for me to survive, impossible for me to succeed, impossible for me to be who I have become. But here I am, standing on a stage, playing the tuba, living a happy life. I am possible. And therefore I know that anything is possible. I am possible. You are possible. Everything is possible.”

Click here to purchase ‘I’m Possible’ by Richard Antoine White, R.A.W.Tuba. White’s story has also been eloquently presented in the documentary titled “R.A.W.Tuba: From Sandtown to Symphony” 

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