Without the burden of having to care for Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgans career took off. In those days, if she had saved the note to read later, someone would have said she didnt 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. Morgan, Whitley's wife of 2 1/2 years, was propelled into the limelight after his death - probably more out of a belated fascination with Whitley than with deep interest in Morgan. Channel 4 News in Nashville announce it shortly into its The Scene At Six broadcast. Enjoyed your article sent to me by an old buddy today. 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. The most interesting evidence against his story is in you tube video Lorrie Morgan on Geraldo 11/14/97. But neither of these theories takes into consideration the severity of Whitleys drinking problem well before his country career took off in earnest. His son, Jesse (A great man, musically and personally, in his own right), and Lorrie have continuously 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 KWs When You Say Nothing At All, as the song was playing a young lady walks by my truck stops and looks at me and says Who is that trying to sing Allison Krausss song? She had no idea who Keith Whitley was and it doesnt help when radio stations these days will play the Allison Krauss version and never the original. It isnt based on what might have been for Keith. They are both under the Memorabilia section she has set up. Actually thats not what he told Lorrie in her book. One of Keiths managers, Don Light, had warned her early on after the two country entertainers had met at The Grand Ole Opry. Randy Travis and Keith opened the doors for all the acts of the 90s with there style and straightforward approach to real country music. 11:43 am. If I have gone to someone s house and knowing that this person already has had drinking prob. Whitley, Jones, Don Williams, Randy Travis, , Jamey johnson and Vern Gosdin. When Garth Brooks was announced as an inductee into the country Music Hall of Fame in 2012, he tried to turn the honor down, feeling that Keith Whitley specifically, along with Randy Travis, should be inducted first. After Keith Whitley saw Lorrie Morgan off at the Nashville airport on that late spring day in 1989, he began a weekend of heavy drinking. Over thirty years later, its still such a tragedy that we lost this incredible talent at such a young age, and just when his career was really taking off. The UPI article quotes her as referring to when she read the note on the return flight. It didnt take a stretch of the imagination to believe a country music singer had drank himself to death, especially Keith Whitley. It is right before they interview Keiths close friend T.Graham Brown. I do agree with you that with Keiths 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 90s stars. Many times he had tried to overcome his alcoholism, but failed. He needs to be in the Hall. hbbd```b``"/I=DE>EH"[$SC r$H=r$A?/ TP@
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. Lorrie Morgan jumped right out! He had the gene, and his substance of choice just happened to be alcohol. May 9, 2019 @ Required fields are marked *, Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. Each song could have been a single & could have reached the top of the charts, there were no throwaways. Driving Lorrie back to the airport only a few short hours later was not a very sound decision. The words of his card/note to her reminded me of it. Not getting into any personal comments here as that has NOTHING to do with whether he should be inducted or not. 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 guess the mystery just adds to the tragedy & hopefully if there was more involved in his death than his own recklessness it will come to light someday. Carson and Keith had flown home from Texas, while the rest of the band took the bus back. Normally I dont get involved anymore and just let the egos 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. 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. Behind his success in music, Jackie Keith Whitley was struggling with his alcoholism. Keiths brother Randy died in a motorcycle accident in 1983. That all stopped, however, when he died on May 9, 1989, as reported by AP News. I have plenty of folks who can verify my stories, all well known recording artist. 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. BUT, does that make him Hall of Fame material? 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. 57[M. Kat Harper Many artists have successfully combined country and folk. Jackie Keith Whitley (July 1, 1954 - May 9, 1989) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Healthline states that having an alcohol concentration of 0.40 or higher may cause coma or death. I have said my piece!!! Whitley said that he stopped drinking in 1987 after he got married to singer Lorrie Morgan. I opened a show for Kieth in Fort Worth Tx. May 8, 2019 @ Friends and I saw Lorrie Morgan in concert when she and Merle Haggard opened for Clint Black. He had lost his brother and father the five years prior to his death. It does not directly state that she was reading it for the first time. He tried to turn down his Hall of Fame induction until Whitley was in: https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/garth-brooks-tried-to-turn-down-hall-of-fame-induction/. After cutting his teeth with Ralph Stanley, Keith Whitley would later join J.D. Hopefully we will all see him elected to the HOF very soon. Incredible in the year 2021 were still finding ways to blame the women in the lives of afflicted men for their tragic deaths. His body was found at his home less than a month after his most recent single, "I'm No Stranger to the Rain," held the No. All I could tell people is to balance out the different perspectives and come to their own conclusion. She loved Keith so much. The woman was not his nursemaid or his substance abuse counselor; she was his wife. Thank you so much for writing such a great article!! It appeared from his history that like Hank and George, nobody could stop his ultimate self destruction. I have found many more smaller discrepancies in his account/ version told in Lorries book. Paisleys remains my favorite. 11:27 am. Rest in peace and thank you for sharing your gift with us all , Keith Might be worth considering a clarifying edit, especially after receiving a report of a source specifically Contradiction the assumption you made. review of the history and 'a-utpsy of the body of Mt. Keith Whitley told The Chicago Tribute once, quote I learned to do things the way the old-timers did it. I hope I can get the audio recordings too. This, of course, is pure speculation from a person who knew/knows neither of them. The Tragic Life and Death Of Keith Whitley Country Music Spotlight 4.07K subscribers 59K views 1 year ago In this video we turn our spotlight onto The Tragic Life and Death Of Keith Whitley. May 10, 2019 @ 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. Charles Harlan had also been giving false testimony in trials for many years. I got chills reading the card. Crowe and the New South, and carried his love for drink, and his close calls with self-destruction with him. I came in and here is this article. My work requires carefully analyzing what a person says. 8:43 am. As the Chicago Tribune and others 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. 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. There will always be a lot of unanswered questions. Welcome to Autopsyfiles.org - Home Page - Autopsy Reports of . Also, Garths recommendation means nothing. 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. EXCEPT I would put Waylon Jennings instead of Jamey Johnson. There have also been lingering questions about just how old Keith Whitley was when he passed. I am the founder of the Down Home in Johnson City, Tn. 1:59 pm. I have always been a fan of Keith Whitley.. Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgan, Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs. 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. Whitley was found fully clothed in his bed by his brother-in-law, Lane Palmer, said Lt. Harry Bell of the Goodletsville Police Department just north of Nashville. Thanks for your part in creating great live music venues. I myself like the traditional songs, sound. I wish somehow young people could be made to understand. Keiths cause of death was actually given on the same day he died. The late country singer's platinum selling first Greatest Hits album originally released in 1990, one year after his tragic death from alcoholism. I think Keith Whitley may be one of the biggest What-ifs in country music history. 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. She really caught hell for a while no matter what she dideven recording the song Autumns Not That Cold drew ire as if she was making a statement about losing Keith. I never made it to the legendary Down Home. 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. The driver died, and Whitley almost broke his neck. I loved reading her book on him. On that day, he was scheduled to play golf with his brother-in-law, Lane Palmer, and it was he who found Whitley dead on his bed. Little did Lorrie Morgan know how much the note would mean to her, and how poignant it would be when she opened it a week later. 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. I will hopefully speak with Keiths family on Friday to see if I can get some clarification! He was considered country musics next superstar. He was also used to flirting with danger. Disturbing Details Found In Jackie Keith Whitley's Autopsy Report. 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. Two children Charles Harlan had determined had died of SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, were later discovered to have been murdered by their parents. TilBillyHill She landed her first #1 with the song Five Minutes in 1990, and had ten Top #10 hits in subsequent years. However, his career was cut short when he died at only 33 years old. Lorrie Morgan is a rare Nashville, Tennessee native in country, who grew up around the music, and in the wings of the Grand Ole Opry, making her first appearance on the show at the age of 13, singing the song Paper Roses, and receiving a standing ovation. Who is his sons mother? 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. It is the equivalent of 20 1-ounce shots of 100-proof whiskey. Did Louisa have a hospital in 54? 4:54 pm. Had he not died in 1989 from alcohol poisoning, the "Don't Close Your Eyes" singer would have turned 66 this year . 56 0 obj
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Heard about it from high school friends who had less strict parents, then we all moved away for college. Thanks for taking the time to reply. He released his debut album 'A Hard Act to Follow' in 1984 & married country . If you watch the video Nashville Babylon-Keith Whitley Strange Death you can watch it first being announced. All of this information only helped to fuel conspiracy theories about the circumstances surrounding Whitleys passing. I will forward that information. He left the medical examiners post in 1994 after three separate women accused him of sexual harassment. 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. Warren, the cause of death is undeternined for the following. But Whitley always treated Lorrie Morgan well. Most states require a written request for the autopsy report. According to the autopsy performed on Whitley, he had an alcohol level of 0.47 in his bloodstream. Which he should of thought of anyway. Im sorry for the loss of Mr. Whitley and I hope his family is well. 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. Required fields are marked *, Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. Lorrie Morgan also alleges that Lane Palmer found a baggie of cocaine on Whitleys dresser when he discovered Keith on the bed incapacitated, and swallowed it before authorities arrived. I have been a huge fan of both Keith and Lorries since I was a kid. As many have stated here, his version of I Never Go Around Mirrors is beyond amazing. I realize that I am in the minority on that opinion. "I thought everybody had to drink to be in this business," Whitley said in an. Thanks again for writing this terrific article!!! About 2-3 years old when his dad died. 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. Stanley discovered the boys when he blew a tire in Ft. Sad as it was to read the news about Hal Ketchums health and Charlie Robisons retirement, its 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. She loved him with everything she had. May 8, 2019 @ What Im wondering is. 23 Comments. A Tragic Early Death. He was just so wildly talented. Joan Shedeck The two people that may have the answers are his drug dealer/friend Sammy, and the women he was seen with the last few nights named Carmen. Respectfully, Jim. Good for him. 2:39 pm. Keep in mind cocaine was quite taboo back then. The level Whitley had in his system was five times the intoxication limit in Tennessee at that time. The lineup includes Darryl Worley, Garth Brooks, son Jesse Keith Whitley, Joe . That didn't stop the singer from releasing a second album the next year. (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. I was honored to have gotten the gig. May 8, 2019 @ Keith Whitley was a solid sounding voice and hit #1s on the charts with songs people could relate to. I appreciate your concern, and understand your perspective. May 10, 2021 @ 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. with the autopsy findings:r and in fact do not support a hanging diagnosis. Charles Harlan, Garth Brooks, George Strait, JD Crowe, Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgan, Ralph Stanley, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, THe New South, Vince Gill. Thats a fair response. May they only make you that much stronger and able and wise. Jon Randalls version of the song blows Paisleys away, in my opinion. I thought as much as I loved Keith, surely that would help him. Jason Hannan Ive gotten lucky to hang with him a few times and very cool guy who is a good musician in his own right, Jane Reynolds Influence, impact, and significance can be subjective and do not always equate with popularity (#1s, album sales, awards, charted singles or records). Once when riding passenger in a car and passing a bottle back and forth with the driver, they tried to take a sharp curve at 120 mph. 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. why sidereal astrology is wrong. I have spent way too many hours researching Keiths life and death. The death of Keith Whitley also inspired rising country star Vince Gill to write the song Go Rest High on That Mountain, which has since become one of the definitive eulogy ballads in the country music canon, and is regularly sung at the funerals of departed country stars, most notably a rendition Vince Gill performed at the funeral of George Jones in 2013. Furthermore, his continued posthumous influence is undeniable. I put everything on the back burner, including my career, to help Keith. I would not be disappointed to see KW in the HOF. You cant live every part of your life for someone else. She might have just been saving it for that moment anyway. Do you have a direct link? Now, I do believe he would have a leading force. To me, it is interesting that his family has never publicy questioned the autopsy report even though there seems to be many questions about what happened that day. Keith arrived at the Nashville airport the morning of May 7th already intoxicated. 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