But, it was a great show even from the nosebleeds of Thompson-Boling arena in Knoxville. As they say the rest is history. None of us are immune. A Tragic Early Death. It didnt take a stretch of the imagination to believe a country music singer had drank himself to death, especially Keith Whitley. The most interesting evidence against his story is in you tube video Lorrie Morgan on Geraldo 11/14/97. Whitley sang with such emotion, you could feel that he felt was he was singing. His official cause of death was listed as acute ethanolism, according to Autopsy Files. Thanks to you for the site and to the community who read and respond. The death of Keith Whitley felt like the next chapter in country musics history of some of its greatest stars ending life too early, from Hank Williams perishing in the back of his Cadillac on New Years Day 1953, to Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Cowboy Copas dying in a plane crash in 1963, or any number of other high profile deaths taking country stars away during the height of their popularity. Born in Ashland, Kentucky and raised in the small town of Sandy Hook, Keith Whitley received his start in country music during high school as a member of Ralph Stanleys bluegrass band The Clinch Mountain Boys, right beside long time friend Ricky Skaggs. Keith Whitley was laid to rest at the Spring Hill Cemetery near Nashville. Ardith Kessler In the book, Morgan goes into some fairly lurid details of Keith Whitleys life and death, including accusations of infidelity, and how she couldnt even trust Whitley around alcohol-based toiletries or beauty products due to his addiction, even having to tie his legs to hers at night so he wouldnt sneak out of bed to drink, and how she would have to sometimes accompany him when he used the bathroom to make sure he wouldnt guzzle something on the counter or beneath the sink. Keith carried his love for drink, and his close calls with self-destruction with him to the new endeavor. 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His voice is in the elite category, alongside people like Jones, Gosdin, Don Williams, and Hag. Lane was not there in the AM. I know the critiques tend to draw the most views and comments. For sure, Whitley was struggling with stardom at the time to some extent, but that doesnt take into consideration the severity of Keiths drinking problem well before his country career took off in earnest.The publishing of Keith Whitleys autopsy report put most of the rumors to bed, though they would re-emerge in subsequent years. After Keith Whitley's death, Lorrie Morgan, shown with her husband Jon Randall, went on to become one of country music's most popular singers. If I could have any wish I wanted, this is my wish: That in your life which is so precious to me, may worries, troubles and problems never linger. Charles Harlan had also been giving false testimony in trials for many years. In a couple of weeks, Keith Whitley was scheduled to be asked to join the Grand Ole Opry himself, and was riding high off of his 3rd consecutive #1 single, Im No Stranger To The Rain, which had topped the Billboard country charts three weeks prior. It wasnt just what Whitley accomplished before he passed away that left such a gaping hole in the heart of country music, its what many expected him to accomplish in the coming years. As far as I know Steve has remained clean and sober and is now primarily a folk singer. I am the founder of the Down Home in Johnson City, Tn. 11:27 am. May 9, 2019 @ The police found 23 cans of empty Budweiser, an empty bottle of Scope, and four half consumed bottles of hair spray in the bedroom that Keith passed away. I think of Randall in context of Tin Man. Not sure if it is because of the years since Mud in the Tires or because Whisperin Bill overshadowed Randall in my memory when I first bought the CD. And the last true C(c)ountry legend. In the year leading up to and including his tragic death from alcohol poisoning at the age of 34, Whitley scored five No. Many times he had tried to overcome his alcoholism, but failed. etc. March 2, 2010, 4:06 PM March 3, 2010 -- An inaccurate autopsy report nearly sealed James Suttle 's fate. And loved ones like Lorrie wind up collateral damage fighting in a war they were never meant to win. I think Keith Whitley may be one of the biggest What-ifs in country music history. Great job!! I have been a huge fan of both Keith and Lorries since I was a kid. EXCEPT I would put Waylon Jennings instead of Jamey Johnson. You couldnt put that soul in your singing if you werent about three sheets in the wind. Unquote. Sir Swamp Im afraid to give it to the rest of these boys. Later Keith Whitley joined J.D. It would be one of many close calls for Whitley, including driving his own car off a 120-foot cliff and into a frozen river, walking away that time with a broken collar bone, lucky to be alive. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Stanley discovered the boys when he blew a tire in Ft. 6:05 pm, IMO, Whitleys greatness was really seen in all the songs that didnt get played on the radio. Every time the phone would ring it was in the back of my mind that there was somebody calling to tell me hes been in a wreck or died of alcohol. I have seen the birth certificate and passport that shows he was born in 1954. What Im wondering is. The level Whitley had in his system was five times the intoxication limit in Tennessee at that time. Lorrie Morgan went onto marry country singer and songwriter Jon Randall and later Sammy Kershaw. 3:18 pm. Verns prime years spent on underfunded independent labels until his big break in the late 80s and unfortunate health issues began only a few years after his big break. Putting him in the HoF would be a no-brainer. Ricky Skaggs, who Vince Gill had been in a band with in Kentucky in the late 70s called Boone Creek, sang harmonies on the studio version of Go Rest High on That Mountain that was released in 1994. 1 hits, and it seemed like his music career was right on track. Keith Whitley was 33 years old. However, it was the alcohol consumption that caused his demise. You are 100% correct! He was an amazing singer who could touch your soul with his lyrics, I wish it had been a different outcome because he was on his way to becoming a country ledgend and in some aspects in my mind he is. He always pays respect to the greats of yesteryear. The medical examiner who wrote and performed the autopsy, Charles Harlan, would soon become widely discredited, and blamed for numerous false reports and other unethical practices. Joe Tank we were living in Kingsport in the late 80s and early 90s right when I first started listening to Keith Whitley. 12:43 pm. He pays tribute to his father by singing some of his songs during performances. In response to an above comment, putting Whitley in the HoF wouldnt be because of a what if. The guy had plenty of massive hits, some of which have reached icon status, three classic albums to his name, and his relationship with artists such as Ricky Skaggs leading up to his solo career impacted the country music landscape far more than any hit song or album could do. Will be passing through Tri-Cities later today. Influence, impact, and significance can be subjective and do not always equate with popularity (#1s, album sales, awards, charted singles or records). reasons ; . You cant live every part of your life for someone else. May 7, 2021 @ keith whitley autopsy report. think maybe he was born in Ashland hospital? Might have been ? Small amounts of cocaine and Valium were also found in his system. After a years-long career in the bluegrass genre, Whitley moved the Nashville in 1983 to pursue a country music career. There is hope in a few acts but no doubt he set a high bar. Thanks go to you and to others discussing a remembering a talented artist who, despite the struggles that took his life (or maybe because of them), left us with great music. In just a few years, he had gained the legendary status and had charted 19 singles on the Billboard country charts. 7:57 am. There isnt always a number, stat, or data point to reference ones accomplishments or contribution to the music. I do not believe the conspiracy theories that exist or that any foul play was involved. Channel 4 News in Nashville announce it shortly into its The Scene At Six broadcast. Lt. Harry Bell in the video Nashville Babylon-Keith Whitley Strange Death comments that Keith had been dead about an hour. An autopsy showed the singer died of an accidental overdose of alcohol, said Medical Examiner Charles Harlan. He came into his own here. It was early May, 1989. IMHO opinion he was the most gifted vocalist country music every produced. Whitley recalled one time in 1986 hearing Miami, My Amy on the radio station WSM in Nashville. Hello Trigger, I hope all is well and you get to see this message. May 8, 2019 @ I was on pins and needles when he was on the road. unquote.Lorrie Morgan was very much a daughter of country music, who would end up blossoming into a wife and a mother of the genre as well. The death of Keith Whitley seemed like an open and shut case. Thanks again for writing this terrific article!!! After that, Whitley was planning to write some songs to present to Lorrie Morgan after she returned from her promotional tour in Alaska for perhaps the two to record together as duets. At just 34 years old, Whitely succumbed to his alcohol abuse, dying in his bed of alcohol poisoning, with a blood alcohol level of .47. She also kept his memory alive by releasing music that Whitley was able to record before his death. This thinking led to tragedy, such as Nashville crooner Keith Whitley dying at age 33 of alcohol poisoning. She alleges that Whitleys manager at the time, Jack McFadden, dropped by in between when brother-in-law Lane Palmer made his two visits, but McFadden was unable to get Keith to answer the locked bedroom door. Sometimes folks personal demons get the best of them. Ill be listening to the 3 hour Keith Whitley tribute that Bobby Bones has planned on his radio show in the morning. The two drank coffee together, and were planning to play a round of golf and have lunch that day. Death Controversy. On this date, in 1989, the country music world tragically said goodbye to the great Keith Whitley. The medical examiner said in his findings that Whitley died as a result of "drinking too much ethyl alcohol in too short a period of time." Maybe the most soulful of all country music`s young neo-traditionalists, Keith Whitley-who died Tuesday of alcohol poisoning-was the product of both a region and a musical mindset in which the. According to the autopsy performed on Whitley, he had an alcohol level of 0.47 in his bloodstream. Lane left at around 8:30 a.m. and returned around 11:00 a.m. I got chills reading the card. 1 hits in a row. May 9, 2019 @ 12:12 pm. Assuming he means it, and it sounds from those comments that he does, thats impressive. Ever think of making an accompanying playlist of artist(s) the pod is on thatd be fun. We loved him then, we love you now, we will always love you for you Keith. In this April 30, 2019, photo, Lorrie Morgan poses with her son, Jesse Keith Whitley, left, and adopted daughter Morgan Whitley, right, at the Keith Whitley exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn. Keith Whitley seemed destined for greatness, but his life was cut tragically short at the age of 33 because of his alcohol addiction. He made a name for himself in the country music scene and recorded a third album, "Don't Close Your Eyes," which was released in 1988. During his career, Whitley released only two albums but charted 12 singles on the Billboard country charts, and 7 more after his death. He had just finished up his fourth studio album, I Wonder Do You Think of Me. 7:59 am. To someone with a high tolerance, this is especially dangerous, unfortunately we lost a great man and musician that day~, I first heard Keith singing in JD Crowes band and i still think those are some of his best songs, but loved his later music too and he was one of my favs, Boston Rob Joan Shedeck Now, I do believe he would have a leading force. 7{l/22o89lAPcn-3s/$#mTW'@S[V,P8C3N8}kl_P YA\P`xR*)*gh]1|F]?8%I8_ A little jealous of those who went to ETSU for having Carter Fold and Down Home nearby. With Keith that wasnt the case. But she has always remained loyal to Keith Whitley, and continues to be one of the biggest champions of his legacy, as does the couples son, Jesse Keith Whitley who has become a country performer in his own right. 2:39 pm. Whitley replaced pioneering flat picking guitarist Tony Rice in The New South, and ended up pushing the band in a more country and electric direction. First let me state I believe Keith drank himself to death. May 9, 2019 @ May 8, 2019 @ endstream endobj startxref The next day, they lined Music Row in Nashville with black ribbons in remembrance. He was 33 years old. Sorry if I wrote too much. Once amid his sober streak in 1987, Whitley said in an interview, quote, It was a matter of life and death. The publishing of Keith Whitleys autopsy report put most of the rumors to bed, though they would re-emerge in subsequent years. Men are not walking around with a childs brain in an adults body (in MOST casesdont get me wrong there) helplessly stumbling off cliffs or touching hot stoves without their mommy wives to chaperone them. Bobbys good deeds will never cancel out the evil hes done. My work requires carefully analyzing what a person says. Paisleys remains my favorite. During his teenage years, Whitley and his friends would sip on bottles of bootleg bourbon, and drive down the windy mountain roads of Kentucky at unsafe speeds. Why leave. There will never be another voice like that. Crowe and the New South, and carried his love for drink, and his close calls with self-destruction with him. This site is the primary one I check for music news (well, news about music Im likely to like or encounter). I thought as much as I loved Keith, surely that would help him. Lorrie admits that Keith was found dying in another ladies arms. But that shouldnt be the main reason for ones electability into the HOF. jimincincy Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgan, Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs. One of my favorite what ifs in country music to ponder is how Keiths career wouldve gone and just how much he wouldve influenced the direction of the genre had he lived. It was himself that Whitley would regularly put in harms way. Blessed be, Convict charlie The singers blood alcohol level was reported to be .47, or almost five times the amount to be declared intoxicated in Tennessee. Alcoholism is a terrible disease. Jesse Keith Whitley, Morgan and Jackie Keith Whitley's son, followed in his parents' footsteps and is a singer-songwriter. The blood screen showed traces of Diazepam and Nordiazepam. Though hired as a guitarist, it was Whitleys singing that really made him stand out, and soon he was the lead vocalist for the Clinch Mountain Boys. Yes, maybe when I get a few more podcasts in, Ill probably make a playlist to accompany it. The UPI article quotes her as referring to when she read the note on the return flight. Police had found 23 empty cans of Budweiser at his house, an empty bottle of Scope, and four half consumed bottles of hair spray. Remember, Keith Whitley was thought to have consumed an entire bottle of mouthwash and numerous bottles of hairspray for their alcohol contents on the day of his death. darya oreshkina wiki; Categorias. However, he decided to leave the group in 1973, and from there, he worked with various acts and bands before embarking on a solo career in 1982. Dont know how true this is but I always heard Lorrie was told by a dr to not leave Keiths side. I like to think Keith would have been the leading force for traditional country music into the mid to late 90s with Strait, Jackson, and Travis. %%EOF or would he have been right up there with the class of 89 and other neo-traditionalists (Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt, etc.) Patsy Cline became more wildly popular after her deathdoesnt change her status. Two children Charles Harlan had determined had died of SIDS were later discovered to have been murdered by their parents. But anyway thanks for the audio entertainment all the guns up. Keiths cause of death was actually given on the same day he died. Country music stars including Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, among others, performed Whitley's songs to a packed audience at the CMA Theater in Nashville, Tennessee. 9:36 am. You did an excellent and thorough job. In a week, Lorrie would be releasing her debut album on RCA Records called Leave The Light On. Iit was for radio show called Country Time. I have found many more smaller discrepancies in his account/ version told in Lorries book. However, I do not think as some do that a Hall of Fame induction is warranted at this point. Keiths manager, Don Light, had warned her early on. Trig Im loving these pods love that theyre the perfect length too which is something some pods never quite nail down. Spot on Wayne. with feet the ground and the knees bent. December 18, 2019 @ After Lorrie Morgan received news of Keith Whitleys death in May of 1989, and prepared to return to Nashville from her Alaskan promotional trip, she remembered the card Keith had given her at the airport the last time the two saw each other. This, of course, is pure speculation from a person who knew/knows neither of them. I did so many crazy things while drinking.. The autopsy does not state it was traces like reported in Lorries book.. Posthumously, Whitley would score two more #1 songs and four Top 15 singles, and theres no reason to believe his output wouldnt have continued to reign on the country charts had he lived. He was just so wildly talented. These revelations brought up questions if something more couldnt have been done to save Keith Whitley, or something could have been done sooner, while also supplying fuel to the idea there was some sort of cover up surrounding Whitleys death. It isnt based on what might have been for Keith. Will this tribute to Keith ever be televised?? That is why despite the short length of Keith Whitleys career, he considered a strong contender for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in the coming years. Couldnt win the battle he would never win the war so sad brill artist, Barbara McCurry Nope, it was Skaggs and Whitley. IMO Keith is one of the 3 greatest country singers ever, along with Jones and Gosdin. It has long been speculated that Whitley's death may not have been directly caused by his recklessness or alcoholism, but that he may have been a victim of premeditated misconduct. Released right before the neotraditional movement that would sweep country music in earnest on the backs of guys like Randy Travis and George Strait, A Hard Act To Follow was deemed to be too country. (As I wrote this, The Dance player in my mind, along with Im No Stranger to the Rain, Brotherly Love, I Wonder, Do You Think of Me, and some of Lorries songs. Also, to potentially sacrifice yet ANOTHER lifelorries, to fight a fight that, lets face it, youre doomed to lose, is pretty stupid. alcoholism is just that, the alcohol takes over and the person isnt able to control the impulsive behavior. I just didnt want to start a playlist with only a few songs to feature. May 10, 2021 @ 4:27 pm. October 24, 2020 @ His son, Jesse (A great man, musically and personally, in his own right), and Lorrie have continuously Your email address will not be published. Keith Whitleys first major record was a 1984 EP called A Hard Act To Follow, and it didnt fare too well. May 2, 2021 @ Even then, we would have to figure out why there is a discrepancy in between the two dates. May 16, 2019 @ I recall the shock when I heard the news of his death. But in the aftermath of Keith Whitleys death, rumors swirled about the circumstances, some of which have continued to linger in popular lore to this day. Trigger, that was a very well written take on Whitley. Disturbing Details Found In Jackie Keith Whitley's Autopsy Grunge 2.14M subscribers Subscribe 1.7K 131K views 1 year ago #CountryMusic #Musician Jackie Keith Whitley was well on his way. This is episode #5, not #4. I was 15 when he died and I still listen to him and love his music. Coming from a bluegrass background, his lonesome singing style was influenced by the Stanley Brothers & Lefty Frizzell. Stay Safe. February 2, 2020 @ I think that Whiskey Lullabye is a quintessential haunting country song, performed perfectly by Paisley and Krauss. He was considered country musics next superstar. I agree on each one of them. Whitley's Solo Career . If you havent seen it, check out Jon recording his version of the song on Youtube. I remain a fan of his music, and sad for him and his family and friends. The bluegrass legend was blown away. It wasnt just what Whitley accomplished before he passed away that left such a gaping hole in the heart of country music, its what many expected him to accomplish in the coming years. I am such a huge fan of his music. I guess thats the debate with music or art. It felt like a piece of that era was missing without Whitley around to participate. The legacy of Keith Whitley has received a resurgence of interest lately leading up to the 30th anniversary of his untimely passing. Morgans close affiliation with the Opry is how she became a member before she became a proper recording artist. Stanley discovered the boys when he blew a tire in Ft. Without the burden of having to care for Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgans career took off. Keith Whitley was just 15-years-old at the time, and Ricky Skaggs was 16. However, it seemed that he wasn't able to remain sober, as he died from alcohol poisoning. His talent and voice still reign over dying at an early age. Thanks for researching his actual birthdate. Keiths brother Randy died in a motorcycle accident in 1983. Episode #1: The George Jones Drug TapesEpisode #2: John Prine & The Perfect Country & Western SongEpisode #3: Charlie Rich BURNS John Denver Episode #4: The Mafia, and the Toby Keith & Rascal Flatts Restaurants. He was there. Artist after artist will tell you of his influence on them or decision to pursue the businessfans are still loyal to the man whose voice cannot be matched in raw emotion and genuine country music. 6:06 am, I have read many comments stating its someone elses fault because they didnt stay with him 24/7, the fact is he had an addiction that took him away. In the card it said, quote. His marriage to Lorrie Morgan would also help settle him, at least to some extent. He left the medical examiners post in 1994 after three separate women accused him of sexual harassment. May 10, 2019 @ . I absolutely LOVED his voice and music, going back to his bluegrass days with Ralph Stanley. From the moment Keith Whitley embarked on a music career, success followed closely behind. Lane Palmer left Whitleys Goodletsville residence at approximately 8:30 a.m., planning to return an hour later for the golf excursion. (Kind of like whether the lyrics to The Dance say could of when they should say could have. Ultimately, the writer writes from their perspective. As for Whitleys age at the time of death, I have also seen people insist he was 34, but I have not been able to find any information to refute the common knowledge that he was 33. We still listen to his records/Cds. It was a living hell. Keith was a few weeks older than Ricky Skaggs. King Honky Of Crackershire The album was released posthumously, and the title song reached the No. Im not saying one is right or wrong, I really have no idea, and Lorrie may have no idea. However, Lorrie Morgan and the Whitley family have never publicly disputed the finding that alcohol poisoning was ultimately responsible for Keith Whitleys death. Thats a fair response. Peter Bootsman With the way Whitley was influenced by Carter Stanley in his singing style, it really helped to sell the two young scrappy musicians as the real deal. Wow. Carson and Keith had flown home from Texas, while the rest of the band took the bus back. Though Whitley had cleaned up in 1987 after numerous close calls from drinking to excess, the sobriety lasted about six months before he fell back off the wagon once again, which could not have been a surprise to anyone. They had partied hard together the entire weekend and he swallowed a small baggie of cocaine he found at Keiths house before he called 911. The 49-year-old entrepreneur from Pulaski, Tenn., was arrested for first-degree murder in 2001, in connection with the death of his cousin, Stevie Hobbs.
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