The Death of Keith Whitley, 30 Years Later
It was early May, 1989. Keith Whitley volunteered to take his wife and fellow performer Lorrie Morgan to the Nashville airport to see her off on a promotional trip to Alaska. In a week, Lorrie would be releasing her debut album on RCA Records, Leave The Light On, and had tour dates booked to promote the new release. Though it was her debut record, Lorrie was already well-known and revered in country music, and had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for half a decade as the institutions youngest-ever invited member.
Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan had been married for three years at that point, and they were one of country music’s emerging power couples. 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, “I’m No Stranger To The Rain,” which had topped the Billboard country charts three weeks prior. Before Lorrie Morgan left on her flight, Keith Whitley gave her a greeting card with a note in it, but Lorrie would not open it at the time. She would save it for the trip home.
After seeing Lorrie Morgan off, Keith Whitley began a weekend of heavy drinking. 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. Whitley had been battling alcoholism since he was a teenager. Once when riding passenger in a car and sipping on bootleg bourbon with the driver, they tried to take a curve at 120 mph. The driver died, and Whitley almost broke his neck. 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.
The Ashland, Kentucky native received his start in country music during high school as a member of Ralph Stanley’s bluegrass band, The Clinch Mountain Boys, right beside long time friend Ricky Skaggs. Stanley discovered the boys when he blew a tire in Ft. Gay, West Virginia, and happened to walk into the club they were playing and was blown away. Stanley wouldn’t drink with any of the other members of the band, but he would with Whitley. “You can handle it,” Stanley would say to him. “I’m afraid to give it to the rest of these boys.” Later Keith Whitley joined J.D. Crowe and the New South, and carried his love for drink, and his close calls with self-destruction with him. But about the time everything would begin to unravel for Keith Whitley due to his drinking, he would hold it together enough to pull through. Whitley moved to Nashville in 1983 and soon signed a record deal with RCA. His marriage to Lorrie Morgan would also help settle him, at least to some extent.
But with Lorrie Morgan out of town that first weekend of May, 1989, there was nobody there to tend to Whitley, or his raging alcoholism. Lorrie Morgan knew the risks of entering a romantic relationship with Whitley. Keith’s manager, Don Light, had warned her early on. But Whitley has always treated Lorrie Morgan well. She insists he never said a negative word to her, or raised his voice at her during the entirety of their marriage. It was himself that Whitley would regularly put in harm’s way.
“It was like a ticking timebomb,” Lorrie Morgan recalls. “I knew all this going into the relationship. I thought as much as I loved Keith, surely that would help him. I feel in my own heart I kept Keith alive a lot longer because I was there all the time. I put everything on the back burner, including my career, to help Keith. Every time the phone would ring it was in the back of my mind that there was somebody calling to tell me he’s been in a wreck or died of alcohol. It was a living hell. I was on pins and needles when he was on the road.”
On the morning of Tuesday, May 9th, 1989, Whitley spoke to his mother briefly on the phone, and then was visited by his brother-in-law Lane Palmer at his home in Goodletsville, Tennessee, near Nashville. The two drank coffee together, and were planning to play a round of golf and have lunch that day. After that, Whitley was planning to write some songs to present to Lorrie Morgan after she returned from her album tour for the two to record together. Lane Palmer left Whitley’s Goodletsville residence at approximately 8:30 a.m., planning to return an hour later for the golf excursion. When Palmer returned, he found Whitley fully clothed on his bed, unconscious. He called an ambulance, which took Whitley to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The next day, they lined Music Row in Nashville with black ribbons in remembrance. Keith Whitley was 33 years old.
The death of Keith Whitley felt like the next chapter in country music’s 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. These events have allowed the timeline of country music to unfold like a tragedy, and have made folk heroes of some of its greatest stars, including Keith Whitley. He had so much to live for at the time. His career was taking off. He was considered country music’s next superstar. He had just finished up his fourth studio album, I Wonder Do You Think of Me. He would die not knowing the Grand Ole Opry had a surprise invitation awaiting him just two weeks later.
The official cause of death for Keith Whitley was ruled alcohol poisoning by local medical examiner Charles Harlan on May 10th—a day after Whitley’s death. The singer’s blood alcohol level was reported to be .47, or almost five times the amount to be declared intoxicated in Tennessee. Small amounts of cocaine and Valium were also found in his system. The death of Keith Whitley seemed like an open and shut case. It didn’t take a stretch of the imagination to believe a country music singer had drank himself to death, especially Keith Whitley. Amid his sober streak in 1987, Whitley once said in an interview, ″It was a matter of life and death. If I hadn’t stopped drinking, I don’t think I’d be alive today. I did so many crazy things while drinking.″
But in the aftermath of Keith Whitley’s death, rumors swirled about the circumstances, some of which have continued to linger in popular lore to this day. As the Chicago Tribune reported at the time, “When his death was first discovered, there was a widespread rumor that it was a suicide.” A .47 alcohol level seemed exceptionally high, even for Keith Whitley. It is the equivalent of 20 1-ounce shots of 100-proof whiskey. Why would Keith Whitley drink himself to death when his career was hitting its stride, and he had so much to live for? One theory was that Whitley was a conflicted as a staunch traditionalist who was being asked to record more commercially applicable material, or was feeling the pressure of stardom. But neither of these theories takes into consideration the severity of Whitley’s drinking problem well before his country career took off in earnest.
The publishing of Keith Whitley’s autopsy report put most of the rumors to bed, though they would re-emerge in subsequent years. 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. He left the medical examiners post in 1994 after three separate women accused him of sexual harassment. He was also known for making gruesome remarks to families and colleagues about deceased individuals, and reportedly kept body parts in jars around his office, home, and rental property. In 2005, the State of Tennessee found Charles Harlan guilty of 20 counts of misconduct and permanently revoked his medical license.
Then in 2010, the accusations against Charles Harlan became even more severe, with the doctor being blamed for numerous botched autopsies resulting in false murder convictions, including a man convicted for stabbing and murdering his cousin, when the deceased died after having a seizure and falling on a glass table. Two children Charles Harlan had determined had died of SIDS were later discovered to have been murdered by their parents. Charles Harlan had also been giving false testimony in trials for many years. Some fans of Keith Whitley and conspiracy theorists have used the discredited legacy of Charles Harlan to wonder just how accurate the autopsy of Keith Whitley was, and if another cause of death could be possible. However Lorrie Morgan and the Whitley family have never publicly disputed the finding that alcohol poisoning was responsible for Keith Whitley’s death.
On May 12th, 1989, more than 500 mourners attended Keith Whitley’s funeral where long-time friend Ricky Skaggs presented the eulogy, and spoke specifically about the ills of drug and alcohol abuse. Keith Whitley was laid to rest at the Spring Hill Cemetery near Nashville.
It wasn’t just what Whitley accomplished before he passed away that left such a gaping hole in the heart of country music, it’s what many expected him to accomplish in the coming years. Posthumously, Whitley would score two more #1 songs and four Top 15 singles, and there’s no reason to believe his output wouldn’t have continued to reign on the country charts had he lived. Speaking to individuals about the legacy of Keith Whitley, from country music historians to superstars such as Garth Brooks, they believe there wouldn’t have been the commercial resurgence in country music heading into the 90’s like the genre experienced if it wasn’t for Whitley. It felt like a piece of that era was missing with Whitley not being a part of it. That is why despite the short length of Keith Whitley’s career, he considered a strong contender for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in the coming years.
The legacy of Keith Whitley has received a resurgence of interest lately leading up to the 30th anniversary of his untimely passing. The Country Music Hall of Fame has just opened a dedicated exhibit to the singer and songwriter, and the Hall of Fame also has plans for a big tribute concert to Whitley on May 9th.
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After Lorrie Morgan received news of Keith Whitley’s death in May of 1989, and prepared to return to Nashville from her Alaskan promotional trip, she finally opened the card Keith had given her at the airport the last time the two saw each other. In the card it said,
Would you like to know what I wish for you?
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. May they only make you that much stronger and able and wise. May you rise each day with sunlight in your heart, success in your path, answers to your prayers, and that smile that I always love to see in your eyes.
I love you,
Keith.
May 8, 2019 @ 9:45 am
A great artist one cannot doubt. However, I do not think as some do that a Hall of Fame induction is warranted at this point. SImply saying that if we go down the road of inducting someone for “what they would have been” it is a slippery and subjective slope. I realize that I am in the minority on that opinion.
if that is the criteria, then they better go back and assimilate a list of artists that would be candidates based on what they could have accomplished.
Regardless, a sad situation all the way around.
May 8, 2019 @ 12:03 pm
It isn’t based on what might have been for Keith. The recognition is the fact that he helped influence an entire decade of country music. It’s still happening today.
May 9, 2019 @ 11:49 am
No…what might have been… that’s the reason people found such a gaping hole in their heart from his death. His body of work and the fact that it caused the resurgence in the popularity of country music 4 the 90s is why he’s why he’s being inducted to the Hall of Fame
May 9, 2019 @ 11:57 am
Might have been ? Keith is the best vocalist period in all genres of Music combined at any point and time. His Bluegrass days and work at 15 are enough alone to make him a member of The Hall Of Fame. Randy Travis and Keith opened the doors for all the acts of the 90’s with there style and straightforward approach to real country music.
May 15, 2019 @ 9:43 am
Sometimes dying young inflates a persons legacy more so than the persons talent or contribution. With Keith that wasn’t the case. His talent and voice still reign over dying at an early age. I like to think Keith would have been the leading force for traditional country music into the mid to late 90’s with Strait, Jackson, and Travis. I also like to think Keith’s talents alone could have extended the neotraditional movement into and beyond the late 90’s. IMO Keith is one of the 3 greatest country singers ever, along with Jones and Gosdin. Those 3 had a soul and emotion to their voices that could strike a nerve that others couldn’t. At the Whitley tribute Thursday night, Garth stated it was time to right a wrong and get Keith in the HOF, also stating his belief that Keith was the second greatest voice in country music only to Jones. These types of tributes, comments, recognition that Keith is receiving from major stars and 30 years after his death speaks volumes of his talent and influence. Remember, Keith achieved this level of influence with only 3 country albums and in less than 4 years as a country recording artist.
May 15, 2019 @ 10:23 am
First of all, I am a big KW fan and liked him when he made his mark. I am not an “after-the-fact” fan but was one when he was living as I am sure you were too.
But your comment, “I like to think Keith would have been the leading force for traditional country music into the mid to late 90’s with Strait, Jackson, and Travis.” makes the very assumption I referenced in my post. Now, I do believe he would have a leading force. No argument there. But that shouldn’t be the main reason for one’s electability into the HOF.
I have stated previously that one’s into the HOF should stand on their own merit and not the fact that others have not made it in yet. For example, although I believe Gene Watson and Vern Gosdin had a similar effect and they had better careers since they lived longer. But that is not the criteria that should be considered KW’s case.
KW’s consideration should be based upon him solely and not any relative factors such as others who have not made it in. Also, Garth’s recommendation means nothing.
I would not be disappointed to see KW in the HOF. Not at all.
If the powers think his accomplishments are justified, no argument from me on that. But then a criteria point would need to be added to future considerations, for those that may not have had a long career but were felt to have had a major influence.
May 15, 2019 @ 11:44 am
Good thoughts Wayne and I don’t completely disagree with your stance. I guess that’s the debate with music or art. There isn’t always a number, stat, or data point to reference one’s accomplishments or contribution to the music. Influence, impact, and significance can be subjective and do not always equate with popularity (#1’s, album sales, awards, charted singles or records). With your Gene Watson and Vern Gosdin comparisons, I would love to see them get into the hall of fame as well on their talent, career achievement and influence. To me, Vern and Keith are the 2nd and 3rd greatest country singers to stand behind a mic (Jones the greatest ever, period), and are often overlooked and underappreciated due to life’s circumstances. Obviously Keith’s addiction and death cut his career short. Vern’s prime years spent on underfunded independent labels until his big break in the late 80’s and unfortunate health issues began only a few years after his big break. Vern also an accomplished and overlooked songwriter. I do agree with you that with Keith’s short career, his main case is going to have to be focused on his one in a million voice and ultimately his influence on the 90’s stars. Keith’s influence case is broad and noted from many(Garth, Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt, Alan Jackson, Daryle Singletary, Joe Nichols, Tim Mcgraw, Diffie, etc.). Although not a fan of Garth, I disagree with you in that his recommendations and influence means nothing for Keith’s HOF case. I’ve learned to respect a lot of what Garth has to say. Garth’s opinions and words carry a lot of weight and in the event that Keith is elected to the HOF in the near future, his input shouldn’t be overlooked.
May 15, 2019 @ 1:22 pm
That’s a fair response. Man, we are in need of some KW’s today!! There is hope in a few acts but no doubt he set a high bar.
December 18, 2019 @ 3:18 pm
I don’t think you have to speculate about his career…starting in Blue Grass as a young person and being very successful and high profile and then his Country career should speak for itself. They would have to be deaf and blind not to see his contribution to both these genres of music and his influence on so many Country singers, musicians and songwriters. Why don’t you guys give yourselves a break and just do the right thing?
February 2, 2020 @ 12:50 pm
Terrible way of thinking.
May 8, 2019 @ 9:48 am
Interesting that in only an hour went from drinking coffee with him to finding him dead in bed. I liked a lot of his songs, but was never a super fan. Still listen to him now and then.
May 8, 2019 @ 10:59 am
His brother in law Lane was an extremely shady character imo. They had partied hard together the entire weekend and he swallowed a small baggie of cocaine he found at Keith’s house before he called 911. Keith’s manager Jack also stopped by keiths house sometime that morning and said keith’s Bedroom door was locked and he could hear rustling sounds from inside but couldn’t him to respond so he left.
May 8, 2019 @ 6:05 pm
IMO, Whitley’s greatness was really seen in all the songs that didn’t get played on the radio. Examples include “I Never Go Around Mirrors,” “Honky Tonk Heart,” and the entirety of the Somewhere Between album (which was later re-released under the title Sad Songs and Waltzes.)
May 16, 2019 @ 10:25 am
You are sooooo right. Lane was not there in the AM.
I am now fully suspicious of all celebrity deaths and how spins are arranged in someone’s mind that they are protecting the hero when in thruth they are trying to protect themselves. The truth rides in the heart not elsewhere.
August 23, 2019 @ 9:41 pm
Actually that’s not what he told Lorrie in her book. Forever yours faithfully. He was there. He tried CPR on a water bed . As he said that’s impossible. Which he should of thought of anyway. What I’m wondering is. If I have gone to someone s house and knowing that this person already has had drinking prob. And u find the bedroom door locked .and even hear something. Why leave. I would of busted door or something. What if he had got to Keith in time. .
July 23, 2021 @ 2:17 pm
While I haven’t read all of Forever Yours Faithfully, the fact that Keith couldn’t be resuscitated because he had passed out on a waterbed that I presume was in Lorrie and his master bedroom doesn’t surprise me. The question I have is “What if through one way or another had Lane managed to resuscitate Keith to a point where he be transported by an ambulance to the hospital?”
May 10, 2021 @ 6:34 pm
Exactly my thoughts. My gut says it was cocaine that killed him, but to just blame alcohol as to aviod the embarrassment. Keep in mind cocaine was quite taboo back then.
May 8, 2019 @ 10:32 am
IMHO opinion he was the most gifted vocalist country music every produced. For this and for the considerable influence he had over his era and the one that followed, he should be in the hall of fame without delay.
May 8, 2019 @ 11:12 am
No doubt Keiths vocals put him in rareified air. To me, he’s in the argument for prototypical ideal country baritone. Whitley, Jones, Don Williams, Randy Travis, , Jamey johnson and Vern Gosdin. And by the way, his version of I never go around mirrors is absolutely stunning.
Trigger, that was a very well written take on Whitley. Made me tear up, particularly that letter to Lorrie. Wow…
June 29, 2020 @ 9:36 am
Kevin,
I love your list of best vocalists. I agree on each one of them. EXCEPT I would put Waylon Jennings instead of Jamey Johnson. I love Jamey and respect how he carries on great traditional music. I just don’t see him quite at the level of the other guys. I do think Waylon is at the same level. George Jones and Keith Whitley have to be the 2 greatest.
May 8, 2019 @ 10:54 am
Don’t know how true this is but I always heard Lorrie was told by a dr to not leave Keith’s side. She then heads off to Alaska of all places and he died shortly after. Who knows. All I know is we lost a damn fine voice.
May 8, 2019 @ 1:33 pm
Whether truth or innuendo, it’s not fair to put that on Lorrie. She loved that man w all her heart and soul and nothing could’ve saved Kieth, but Keith. His contribution’s are many, and let’s keep in mind that he had a son, who carried on his legacy, although a legend in his own right. Keith loved his life, his music, and his family. In the romantic part of my soul, Keith may have very well known what was to happen if he hadn’t let go and let Lorrie carry on without him. As far as posthumously given anything based on what “might have been,” I’m sure is not the way these awards are set up to be giving. We loved him then, we love you now, we will always love you for you Keith.
May 8, 2019 @ 8:07 pm
Why would Lorrie Morgan leave Keith’s Whitley side when he were to be alone. You think she would have stayed home..it is a shamesuch talent is gone.ioved all of his songs..i even sing a few of his songs..he was awesome.when a Dr tells your not to leave someone side you do not do it..
May 9, 2019 @ 5:57 am
Now that’s some big bullshit. The only person responsible for an addict is an addict.
May 9, 2019 @ 12:12 pm
You are 100% correct! Also, to potentially sacrifice yet ANOTHER life–lorrie’s, to fight a fight that, let’s face it, you’re doomed to lose, is pretty stupid. Keith’s inner demons made it a leadpipe cinch that HE wouldn’t be helping with that fight….unless it was to throw up his hands in defeat. Because, booze or drugs, the substance is always going to call the shots. And loved ones like Lorrie wind up collateral damage fighting in a war they were never meant to win.
May 9, 2019 @ 7:51 am
It was his time to go.. It doesn’t matter what he was doing or where he was.. It was his time.. We might be able to change the venue but we can never change the time..you can wonder the “what if” forever but things happen the way they are meant to.. Lorrie being there wouldn’t have made a difference..not cold n cruel… Just truth.. Blessed be
May 9, 2019 @ 7:59 am
She loved him with everything she had. In detail he almost died 9x of the same thing previously before the final time. Even as much as handcuffing herself to him at night so he couldn’t sneak a drink or other things (like mouth wash). You can’t live every part of your life for someone else.
December 16, 2021 @ 11:27 am
Incredible in the year 2021 we’re still finding ways to blame the women in the lives of afflicted men for their tragic deaths. The woman was not his nursemaid or his substance abuse counselor; she was his wife. I can’t imagine any more disrespectful or shameful a response to Keith Whitley’s death these many years later than to be bringing up what Lorrie Morgan did or didn’t do. Men are not walking around with a child’s brain in an adult’s body (in MOST cases–don’t get me wrong there) helplessly stumbling off cliffs or touching hot stoves without their mommy wives to chaperone them. It’s a god awful shame to see this kind of mindset still out there.
May 8, 2019 @ 11:42 am
I think Keith Whitley may be one of the biggest “What-if’s” in country music history. I recall a Tracy Lawrence interview from 1993 where he said that if he’d survived, he’d have been “bigger than Garth.” Garth was a whole different kind of beast when it came to album sales, but I think Whitley definitely would have entered the 90’s with the same status as Strait, Yoakam, or Travis (meaning that I don’t think he would’ve been swept away in the wake of the Class of ’89/’90).
In response to an above comment, putting Whitley in the HoF wouldn’t 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. Furthermore, his continued posthumous influence is undeniable. Putting him in the HoF would be a no-brainer. Vern Gosdin needs to be nominated as well.
May 9, 2019 @ 4:22 pm
Didn’t Garth say he was hesitant on accepting his nomination to the Hall because he believed Whitley should of been in before him?
May 9, 2019 @ 4:31 pm
He tried to turn down his Hall of Fame induction until Whitley was in:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/garth-brooks-tried-to-turn-down-hall-of-fame-induction/
May 13, 2019 @ 6:13 am
Wow. Assuming he means it, and it sounds from those comments that he does, that’s impressive. Good for him.
May 8, 2019 @ 11:43 am
The greatest C(c)ountry singer of the modern era. And the last true C(c)ountry legend.
May 8, 2019 @ 12:06 pm
It was a tragedy what a voice! I agree with an earlier comment his take on I never go around mirrors is stunning. Sometimes folks personal demons get the best of them. None of us are immune. Their but by the grace of God go any of us.
May 8, 2019 @ 1:53 pm
I have a hat with Keith Whitley signature.
May 8, 2019 @ 3:01 pm
I opened a show for Kieth in Fort Worth Tx. I was honored to have gotten the gig. I spent a few minutes with him and he was drinking a lot that night and I was so certain that he was going to screw up and ruin his own show but to my surprise he was a hit and put everything he had into the show and left the crowd screaming for more. I will never forget him and he will always have a place in country music and in my heart.
May 8, 2019 @ 1:59 pm
Thank you so much for writing such a great article!! Since that Tuesday in 1989, Keith’s death has been my obsession. I had never seen the entire note that Keith gave to Lorrie that Sunday afternoon he drove her to the airport. I got chills reading the card. Thanks so much for posting.The article well written and very accurate. I am heading down tomorrow( 5/9) to Nashville for the two tribute shows and to visit the HOF exhibit. I have a few questions if you don’t mind? In Lorries book, page 201 states she opened the letter as soon as the plane was in the air. I know that Keith’s age when he passed has been debated in the past. I have seen the birth certificate and passport that shows he was born in 1954. I will hopefully speak with Keith’s family on Friday to see if I can get some clarification! I will forward that information. 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. The hair spray bottles were full when Lorrie left for Alaska. The detective handling the case also said that he had a large quantity of alcohol the previous night. Lane left at around 8:30 a.m. and returned around 11:00 a.m. I agree that Lane’s account on what happened is very questionable/biased. Keith also suffered from depression from an early age. He had lost his brother and father the five years prior to his death. Thanks again for writing this terrific article!!!
May 8, 2019 @ 3:10 pm
Dear Lord, he drank hairspray?! It was an absolute tragedy. I was 15 when he died and I still listen to him and love his music. As many have stated here, his version of I Never Go Around Mirrors is beyond amazing. It hurts to think about what might have been. I hope his soul is at peace.
May 8, 2019 @ 3:47 pm
Hey Jim,
Where I got the note to Lorrie was an article posted by UPI on May 26th, 1989 where Lorrie was interviewed. She says in the interview, “When I read the card on the way back home, I felt like he was trying to tell me something.” I’m not saying that the book is wrong or the article is right. Sometimes details change in the minds of people over time. Here is the article:
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/05/26/Lorrie-Morgan-talks-about-late-husband-Keith-WhitleyCountry-Music/5484612158400/
As for Whitley’s 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.
May 10, 2019 @ 4:41 am
Trigger,
Please read this as being sent with the best of intentions and not to be a troll or to nitpick. My work requires carefully analyzing what a person says. The UPI article quotes her as referring to when she read the note on the return flight. It does not directly state that she was reading it for the first time. Similarly, it does not directly state that she was reading it “again” or had previously read it.
I wouldn’t publish a statement of fact based on an inference from an article. If I were to make an inference from this article, I would lean toward the reading on the return flight NOT being the first time she read the card and note. The article specifically is discussing how she was seeing the card in light of what had transpired since he gave it to her.
In the grand scheme of things, probably notna big deal. But, it can seem a bit cold that she didn’t read his note until the flight home.
Overall, I am grateful for your article. I remain a fan of his music, and sad for him and his family and friends. “Tell Lorri I Love Her” is so sweet and pure. The words of his card/note to her reminded me of it.
Reading what he wrote in the card made me wonder if he intended his death to happen, thinking it would relieve her of the burden of worrying over him. This, of course, is pure speculation from a person who knew/knows neither of them.
Side note – upon my first tour of the new CMHOF, I was glad to see that his Harley was on display, just as in a visit to the prior building in the 90s.
To me, you’re assuming a fact from a source that offers a vague description not directly confirming or refuting your assumption. Might be worth considering a clarifying edit, especially after receiving a report of a source specifically Contradiction the assumption you made.
May 10, 2019 @ 4:47 am
Sorry…got a paragraph out of place in cutting/pasting. Hope it makes sense.
May 10, 2019 @ 9:05 am
I appreciate your concern, and understand your perspective. As a journalist, trying to balance recollections of past events can be very difficult. We’re seeing that today where there’s actually two different stories behind George Jones’s lawnmower story. Both could be right, or both could be wrong. We really don’t know, and the mind plays tricks on people. When it comes to when Lorrie opened the card, the recollection she gave in the interview I cited was weeks removed from when it happened, while her biography was many years after. I’m not saying one is right or wrong, I really have no idea, and Lorrie may have no idea. I think the interview is pretty clear when she opened the card, but I agree there’s also some ambiguity there. All I could tell people is to balance out the different perspectives and come to their own conclusion. But what I don’t think is true, respectfully, is that it somehow looks bad for Lorrie that she didn’t open the note until she was returning. She might have just been saving it for that moment anyway.
May 10, 2019 @ 4:54 pm
Trigger –
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I definitely see and respect your perspective. My view was coming from a different world – conducting investigations with civil and/or criminal implications. That field requires absolutely clarity about what is stated, what is implied, and what is inferred. Reading the other reader’s post put my mind in work mode – parsing the evidence. But, I get that this literally is not something to make into a federal case. (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. Maybe Tony Arata says “could of” instead of “could have.” Whatever. What sticks with us is the sentiment. We take the literal meaning and we recall the video, and Garth’s comments on what the song means to him, and the footage of people like Keith Whitely, Lane Frost, President Kennedy, and the Challenger astronauts).
I’m with you in not thinking more or less of Lorrie either way when it comes to when she first read the note. It’s good to see that the comments here have been predominantly respectful and fair. For several years, it seemed like her every action or inaction, whether before Keith’s death or afterward, was unfairly scrutinized and maligned. In those days, if she had saved the note to read later, someone would have said she didn’t value or appreciate his gesture; if she had read it on the flight out or early in the trip, someone would have said she just treated his card like opening everyday mail and bills instead of treasuring it and treating it as special. She really caught hell for a while no matter what she did…even recording the song “Autumn’s Not That Cold” drew ire as if she was making a statement about losing Keith. (That said, I see the irony that I might have brought up a potential critique no one lobbed…much as I thought I saw a post taking issue with her not reading until flight home).
Anyway, we know from two reports that she read and reflected on the card on the flight home. Whether that was the first reading or not, the emotional reaction, the words he wrote, and how she took them in light of his death are the most significant details. And, they are details I only learned through your posts and the links you included. 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.
My heart still goes out to his family. Friends and I saw Lorrie Morgan in concert when she and Merle Haggard opened for Clint Black. It felt sacrilegious that Merle was the first opener. But, it was a great show – even from the nosebleeds of Thompson-Boling arena in Knoxville. Still have her Something in Red” CD, along with a few of Keith’s.
Your articles about Keith are much-appreciated. As evidenced by my posts, I check SCM periodically, sometimes just to see what’s up, and sometimes when there’s something I imagine you’ll cover. If I read a post/article, I read all the comments.
This site is the primary one I check for music news (well, news about music I’m likely to like or encounter). Thanks to you for the site and to the community who read and respond. I know the critiques tend to draw the most views and comments. But, pieces like this one are what grab my heart and stick with me. Sad as it was to read the news about Hal Ketchum’s health and Charlie Robison’s retirement, it’s good to have a site to catch that news without a lot of extraneous filler to weed through, and no click-bait 40-slide/page dragging out a story. When I still used Facebook and commented about Charlie Robison (maybe even included the link to your page), the first comment was from a friend who lives in Austin, but had not yet heard about his retirement.
(As I wrote this, “The Dance” player in my mind, along with “I’m No Stranger to the Rain,” “Brotherly Love,” “I Wonder, Do You Think of Me,” and some of Lorrie’s songs. Hank III’s “Crazed Country Rebel” slipped into the mix – probably a nod to the original site).
May 10, 2019 @ 10:04 pm
Thanks for reading TilBillyHill.
May 11, 2019 @ 6:12 pm
Hey Trigger, my name is Joe Tank Leach and I was Keith’s first manager and ended up signing him with Norro at RCA. I am the founder of the Down Home in Johnson City, Tn. back in 1976 and that is where Keith and I first met when he was fronting J.D. Crowe. Keith had asked me after a show one night if I thought I could maybe help him get a record deal. As they say the rest is history. Over the years many people have asked me why I had never called people and corrected them in various articles over the years concerning Keith’s early history and some of my interesting and fun story’s while I was shopping our tape around Nashviile. I would just like to set the record straight for now and any future articles concerning how Keith got started in Nashville. I have plenty of folks who can verify my stories, all well known recording artist. Like I say I have some great stories and also who I was my first choice and record company and great producer I first talked to and what happened to that deal,etc. etc.
Enjoyed your article sent to me by an old buddy today. Normally I don’t get involved anymore and just let the ego’s have there way, but just felt the record should be set straight from a historical perspective and plus it looks like some of these fans would enjoy it.
Keep up the good work,
Tank
May 11, 2019 @ 11:04 pm
Hey Joe Tank,
Thanks for commenting and offering your insight into this story. I think one of the many unfortunate things about Keith’s passing is he never got to tell his story in his own words like other artists do when they age.
Just to clarify, are you say there is something in this story that needs to be revised, or just this portion of the story added, which I would be more than happy to do.
Thanks!
January 7, 2025 @ 11:52 am
His birth certificate apparently states he was a year older than his grave marker shows. So he was widely believed to be 33 at the age of death, but in fact he was 34.
May 8, 2019 @ 2:32 pm
I was working today; an upholsterer, in my garage and went to my CD’s. Lorrie Morgan jumped right out! I came in and here is this article. I’m sorry for the loss of Mr. Whitley and I hope his family is well. I think it’s great he’s being honored.
May 8, 2019 @ 2:37 pm
My husband and I loved Keith’s music and his songs. He had the best voice and used
it so well. We still listen to his records/Cds. We stil love Lorrie Morgans songs also. She loved Keith so much. It is such a shame to lose such a great artist while so young. Alcoholism is a terrible disease. I wish somehow young people could be made to understand. They think “it won’t happen to me” but so many many times it does and before we know it, they are gone from us. I have said my piece!!!
May 8, 2019 @ 2:39 pm
I’ll be listening to the 3 hour Keith Whitley tribute that Bobby Bones has planned on his radio show in the morning. He always pays respect to the greats of yesteryear.
May 8, 2019 @ 2:47 pm
Bobby’s good deeds will never cancel out the evil he’s done.
May 8, 2019 @ 3:08 pm
TIL that Ralph Stanley’s vehicle never “blew a tire” in Monroe, GA or Ormond Beach, FL.
May 8, 2019 @ 4:27 pm
Also Lorrie Morgan’s other husband Jon Randall wrote the song ‘Whiskey Lullaby’ while going through a divorce with her.
May 10, 2019 @ 3:23 pm
Sturgill_Jennings77 – thanks for sharing that. I think that “Whiskey Lullabye” is a quintessential haunting country song, performed perfectly by Paisley and Krauss. Never knew about this connection until your comment.
May 10, 2019 @ 4:00 pm
Jon Randall’s version of the song blows Paisley’s away, in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, Paisley and Krauss did a great job, but for me Jon’s version drips with pure authenticity. If you haven’t seen it, check out Jon recording his version of the song on Youtube.
May 10, 2019 @ 6:02 pm
Will do, thanks! I knew Paisley hadn’t written it, but not that one of the songwriters recorded it (or could be found in videos playing it). 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.
I was surprised to learn Paisley hadn’t written “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alice,” though it explained the Kentucky location instead of his (and my) native WV. Have to credit Pandora for introducing me to Darrell Scott’s recording, which led to learning he was the songwriter. Have heard Patty’s version, too. Paisley’s remains my favorite. This is a rare case where I prefer a recording by someone other than the songwriter.
May 8, 2019 @ 6:16 pm
Whitley’s voice was stunning in several of his songs. His vocals matured so much from the LA to Miami album to Don’t Close Your Eyes. Several comments mentioned his I Never Go Around Mirrors performance—to me it was legendary. When You Say Nothing at All, I’m No Stranger to the Rain & Don’t Close Your Eyes were also amazing vocals from that album. Another song on that album, It’s All Coming Back to Me Now was in the same class as far stunning vocals. It was so emotional.
His final studio album, I Wonder Do You Think of Me was to me a masterpiece. He came into his own here. Each song could have been a single & could have reached the top of the charts, there were no throwaways. To me, the vocals on each song of that album were stunning & many were haunting (like Tennesee Courage, which spoke about relying on Jack Daniels for courage & strength). Only 3 songs were released & 2 others became hits for other artists. If I was going to recommend a traditional country album to anyone, it would be this one.
Whitley sang with such emotion, you could feel that he felt was he was singing. He was hands down the best country singer I have ever heard. It is a shame that he died so young & so tragically.
May 8, 2019 @ 7:45 pm
A country music singer that couldn’t overcome alcohol if only a person would have been with him 24\7 to stop him from alcohol use .
May 8, 2019 @ 8:23 pm
Keith was from Sandy Hook, KY. It’s there that the statue of him resides. About 30-45 minutes from Ashland.
May 8, 2019 @ 10:14 pm
think maybe he was born in Ashland hospital? Did Louisa have a hospital in 54? Kinda like Lexington claiming Stapleton since He was born there.
May 9, 2019 @ 4:02 am
All this talk about “if only he hadn’t been left alone, he needed a 24/7 watch, or if only someone had stopped him.”
I absolutely LOVED his voice and music, going back to his bluegrass days with Ralph Stanley. But bottom line, he was an addict. He had the gene, and his substance of choice just happened to be alcohol.
Only Keith could have saved Keith – no one else.
May 9, 2019 @ 3:35 am
I have been a huge fan of both Keith and Lorrie’s since I was a kid. A multitalented, one of a kind, man/musician was lost the day that we lost Keith Whitley. His son, Jesse (A great man, musically and personally, in his own right), and Lorrie have continuously
worked keeping his memory, music and legacy alive and burning bright~his music will continue to influence future artists and upcoming country music fans for years to come. To blame Lorrie for his alcoholism and accidental alcohol poisoning is cruel and preposterous. That woman worshipped the ground he walked on and did everything she could to save him…. alcoholism is just that, the alcohol takes over and the person isn’t able to control the impulsive behavior. Acute alcohol poisoning is ingesting a large amount over a short period of time and the liver cannot metabolize it fast enough. To someone with a high tolerance, this is especially dangerous, unfortunately we lost a great man and musician that day~
May 9, 2019 @ 5:22 am
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
May 9, 2019 @ 6:06 am
I have read many comments stating it’s someone else’s fault because they didn’t stay with him 24/7, the fact is he had an addiction that took him away.
He had the love of a good woman, a gift from God in his singing, fame, money and children and still it wasn’t enough to be able to over come.
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.
It doesn’t matter how many #1 songs you had or how many sales you made it should be based on who you feel when a song comes on, how it moves you.
In my opinion Keith reached that level and should be inducted into the country music Hall of Fame.
I hope he knows 30 years later people still get stirred up and sing along to his amazing sound.
Rest in peace and thank you for sharing your gift with us all ???????? ????
May 14, 2020 @ 2:13 pm
Keith
Couldnt win the battle he would never win the war so sad brill artist
May 9, 2019 @ 6:56 am
Living like there’s no tomorrow no doubt
May 9, 2019 @ 7:09 am
who is Keith Whitley’s son? Was he married before he married Lorrie Morgan? Who is his son’s mother?
May 9, 2019 @ 9:08 am
His son is Jesse Keith Whitley. He was Keith & Lorrie’s son. About 2-3 years old when his dad died.
May 9, 2019 @ 4:23 pm
And Jesse is a hell of a guy. I’ve gotten lucky to hang with him a few times and very cool guy who is a good musician in his own right
May 9, 2019 @ 7:57 am
To this day I still listen to keith. His voice fills me with excitement, sadness, joy and many other emotions. Keith will always be #1 for me when it comes down to voices!!
May 9, 2019 @ 11:43 am
I myself have been onstage with the biggest names in the business. I still am on tour these days. I myself like the traditional songs, sound. Keith Whitley was a solid sounding voice and hit #1’s on the charts with songs people could relate to. I VOTE to accept him into the CMHF.
May 9, 2019 @ 1:11 pm
Will this tribute to Keith ever be televised?? I have always been a fan of Keith Whitley.. I remember the day he passed,, So sad and young. Gone to soon!!
May 9, 2019 @ 10:13 pm
I think he is the best singer of all time and we can learn from him and his song’s even though he is not with us anymore dosen’t mean that we should not go on and not have fun doing what we all know and love doing sing together
May 11, 2019 @ 8:43 am
I was 9 when KW passed away, but what really stands out to me was about 15 years ago I was sitting in my truck playing KW’s “When You Say Nothing At All”, as the song was playing a young lady walks by my truck stops and looks at me and say’s “Who is that trying to sing Allison Krauss’s song?” She had no idea who Keith Whitley was and it doesn’t help when radio stations these days will play the Allison Krauss version and never the original.
May 11, 2019 @ 5:19 pm
Keith Whitley absolutely should be in the HOF; this was the perfect year to do it, but it should be done post haste. His influence on a long line of country artists is undeniable. Patsy Cline became more wildly popular after her death…doesn’t change her status. It should impact Keith’s either. Artist after artist will tell you of his influence on them or decision to pursue the business…fans are still loyal to the man whose voice cannot be matched in raw emotion and genuine country music. Induct him already. 🙂
Not getting into any personal comments here as that has NOTHING to do with whether he should be inducted or not. That’s the important thing here. He deserves it; his family should get to see it happen; it’s incredibly sad that his mom didn’t get to after all the hard work she put in to keep his music alive and out there for old and new fans.
May 12, 2019 @ 12:51 am
Joe Tank – we were living in Kingsport in the late 80’s and early 90’s – right when I first started listening to Keith Whitley. I never made it to the legendary Down Home. Heard about it from high school friends who had less strict parents, then we all moved away for college. A little jealous of those who went to ETSU for having Carter Fold and Down Home nearby. Will be passing through Tri-Cities later today. Thanks for your part in creating great live music venues.
May 14, 2019 @ 12:19 pm
RIP. https://www.reverbnation.com/mattengelsmusic/song/16287569-mr-whitley
October 23, 2020 @ 9:41 pm
Hello Trigger, I hope all is well and you get to see this message. I know its not of utmost importance, but I wanted to point you to some information on Keith’s real birthdate. If you go to Pinterest and look on Carrie Huff, it has a copy of both his passport and birth certificate that clearly indicate 1954 was his year of birth. They are both under the Memorabilia section she has set up. Stay Safe.
October 24, 2020 @ 8:14 am
Do you have a direct link? I found the Pinterest account and Keith Whitley stuff, but no birth certificate. Even then, we would have to figure out why there is a discrepancy in between the two dates.
August 3, 2023 @ 6:40 pm
Seems as though he was an inconsiderate idiot. Didn’t respect himself or others. Too bad he chose to be a negative influence by his poor habits… Cocaine, Valium and alcohol is a bad mix. Not a very smart man to be sure.