A lot of things happened on May 9th throughout history. The stethoscope was invented on this day in 1882, Mother’s Day was proclaimed on this day in 1914, the Golden Girls aired their final episode on this day in 1992, but the news that die hard country music fans wasn’t prepared for was the death of Keith Whitley. He passed away from alcohol poisoning 35 years ago today after being discovered face down on his bed.
It was a huge blow to country music because Keith Whitley had quickly proven that he was the real deal. He was a gifted writer and had a voice that people still talk about, and request, in 2024. He had such a bright future ahead of him, but he just couldn’t conquer his alcohol addiction which lead to his untimely passing.
His start in country music was similar to that of Ricky Skaggs. They both loved bluegrass music and were big fans of the Stanley Brothers. Whitley and Skaggs were only 14 when they first met at a talent show in Kentucky in 1968, sparking a special friendship between the two. Two years later in 1970 Skaggs and Whitley would fill in together for Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys at a nightclub in West Virginia because Stanley was delayed getting to the venue. When he showed up, he was so impressed with the two that he hired them on the spot for his band.
Whitley would go on to a solo career in 1984 and see major success. His first E.P. was titled “A Hard Act to Follow” which included three singles, however none of them charted well. His life changed in 1985 when “Miami, My Amy” would become his first top 20 hit on the chart. Over the course of his music career he’d go on to chart 19 singles and score five consecutive number one songs starting with “Don’t Close Your Eyes” in 1988.
Whitley passed away on May 9th, 1989 after finishing his fourth and final studio album, “I Wonder Do You Think of Me,” which included his final number one “It Ain’t Nothin.” His duet with wife Lorrie Morgan, “Til A Tear Becomes a Rose,” would win the 1990 CMA Vocal Event of the Year.” One of his biggest honours came in 2022 when he was finally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville with Lorrie Morgan and his two children, Jesse and Morgan, in attendance.
