ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Keith Whitley (4 songs)

This Sandy Hook TN-native singer-songwriter-guitarist appeared, at age 8, with Buddy Starcher on radio in Charleston WV, formed the East Kentucky Mountain Boys with Ricky Skaggs (1968) & played in Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys (mid 1970s). He married Lorrie Morgan in 1986, then died 3 years later of alcohol poisoning, 05/09/1989.

#1
This song, his 4th overall release, debuted 06/21/1986, spent 26 weeks on the charts & peaked at #9, his 1st Top 10. His 1st Top 20 was his prior release, 1985-6’s “Miami, My Amy” (#14). Neither of his 1st 2 solo releases had cracked the Top 50. This single, tho, sparked a string of 3 straight Top 10s, followed by 1986-7’s “Homecoming ’63” (#9) & 1987’s “Hard Livin’” (#10).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euh_qrCbONY

#2
I wish this song had done better on the charts. It hit the airwaves 11/14/1987, spent 21 weeks on the charts & peaked at #16. It followed 1987’s “Would These Arms Be In Your Way”, which had stalled at #36. Despite no Top 5s to this point, his career was about to take off, starting with his 1st release in 1988, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”, which claimed #1.

#3
Debuting 01/21/1989, this song spent 22 weeks on the charts, 2 of those at #1. It was his 3rd straight chart topper, behind 1988’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” & 1988’s “When You Say Nothing At All” (2 weeks). This single, which won CMA’s “Single Of The Year” award, was the last release prior to his 05/09/1989 death.

#4
This song debuted 06/24/1989, spent 19 weeks on the charts & claimed #1. It was the 1st single released after his death & was his 4th straight chart topper, a string that stretched to 5 with 1989-90’s “It Ain’t Nothin’”. The string of Top 5s continued with 1990’s “I’m Over You” (#3). 4 more songs were released posthumously: 1990’s “’Til A Tear Becomes A Rose” (#13; duet with Lorrie Morgan; CMA Vocal Event), 1991’s “Brotherly Love” (#2; duet with Earl Thomas Conley), 1991-2’s “Somebody’s Doin’ Me Right” (#15) & 1995’s “Wherever You Are Tonight” (#75).