Never skip a classic Whitley clip.
Out of all the “what if” stories in country music, Keith Whitley and his tragically short career have to be one of them. After getting his start in bluegrass with the Stanley Brothers and Ricky Skaggs in the 70s, he would move to Nashville in 1983.
Shortly after, he’d release two albums, L.A. to Miami and Don’t Close Your Eyes, and score five #1 hits, including the likes of “Don’t Close Your Eyes” and “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.” Just when he was on the brink of superstar status, however, tragedy struck, and Whitley passed away at the age of 34 in May of 1989. Of course, this was due to his well-documented struggle with alcohol addiction.
Undoubtedly, his tragic death sent shockwaves throughout the entire genre. He had an enormous impact on country music with his neo-traditional sound in the same style as newcomers (at the time) like Strait and Randy Travis. And his sound has continued to influence generations of country artists since his passing, with many of today’s biggest stars citing Whitley as one of their biggest inspirations.
Despite his relatively short career, he’s remained one of the most celebrated artists in the genre. Ironically, it seems like he has garnered a new generation of fans on TikTok over the years, thanks to tracks like “Miami, My Amy,” “I’m Over You” and “Ten Feet Away” going viral on the platform.
Recently, a clip of him covering none other than Merle Haggard’s classic, “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink,” has been making its rounds online, and I can’t believe I’ve never heard this performance before.
Of course, the track hardly needs an introduction. Being one of Haggard’s signature songs, outside the likes of “Mama Tried” and “Pancho and Lefty,” it was released as the second single off his iconic 1980 album, Back to the Barrooms, quickly rising to the top of the charts and becoming the Hag’s 26th #1 single.
As for Whitley’s version, it seriously rivals Merle’s original and showcases his typically undiscussed guitar ability, picking through the first solo of the song effortlessly. Of course, his iconic vocals also shine through, sounding like butter on the honkytonk staple.
Given the fact that Whitley had a long battle with alcoholism, there’s a tangible amount of tragic irony with him covering the track, with some users on Instagram pointing it out in the comments while simultaneously praising the performance.
“If ‘I think I’ll just stay here and drink’ was a person”
“He ain’t lying. He did it to the end”
“The [goat] covering the [goat]”
“Why did Keith do it better than Merle?“
“He did it right – the Hag would have been honored”
“Christ covering God”
Watch here:
