Keith Whitley

When you're heart's broken, there's nothing more soul-soothing than country music.

Jan. 13, 1990, was a bittersweet day for Whitley's friends, family and fans.

Wallen's been hinting that he's planning to release a new album next year.

Kenzie Wheeler's country style managed to achieve a four-chair turn...which team did he end up on?

The younger Whitley is readying new music that is truly him.

I love the music of Keith Whitley. You can tell that by my Keith Whitley t shirt in the photo above. Here is how that love started. It was 1989 and I was just a year or so of into my career at K99. I was discovering and falling in love with all these great country artists

Today would be a very special day for country music fans. There should be a big party with tons of celebrities singing the praises and hits of a now 61 year old country legend named Keith Whitley. It would have been Mr. Whitley's birthday today but unfortunately Keith died from alcohol poisoning in 1989.

I have had many artists whom I consider musical heroes. I could listen to and talk about what Elvis, George Strait, Garth, Waylon, Chris LeDoux and Keith Whitley have meant to me for days and days. Those are a few of the artists who have sung the soundtrack of my life. That soundtrack lost a key voice 27 years ago today.

Keith Whitley is one of the greatest country singers of all time. I can only imagine how huge he would have become if he wouldn't have sadly lost his life at the age of 33 back in 1989. He was only with us for a short time but influenced so many of today's country stars.

Everyone has their list of the their favorite artists. The singers who, no matter what they do, you are going to buy their music. I have my list. Many of them are no longer with us but I probably have every single song they have ever recorded. The ones who are still with us can still count on me to buy whatever they put out.

I was on the air the day Keith Whitley died in 1989. I remember it so well. He was just becoming a superstar. He was the new voice of pure country. Keith had the brightest future you could imagine and then he drank it all away.

Keith Whitley had one of the greatest voices country music had ever heard. I can only imagine how big of a star he would have become if he had not tragically died of alcohol poisoning in 1989.