How did keith whitley die

He wasn't an imposing figure -- just a wiry kid from Kentucky with the music of country idols like Lefty Frizzell and Ralph Stanley rolling around in his head. He wasn't terribly prolific --he recorded enough material to fill roughly five solo albums before he died too young in 1989. But Keith Whitley shows every sign of becoming one of the most influential country stars of modern times. A generation of stylists too young to remember Lefty Frizzell has seized upon Whitley's music, sat spellbound by his records and stood in awe of his talent. Garth Brooks, Tracy Lawrence, Alan Jackson and many lesser lights openly acknowledge his influence, citing him alongside such legends as Merle Haggard and George Jones. Jackson sang with an old Keith Whitley tape on his 1993 Christmas album. Suzy Bogguss and Lee Greenwood scored a top-ten hit in 1991 with the Whitley composition "Hopelessly Yours." Newcomer Kenny Chesney has revived Whitley's "I Want My Rib Back." Ken Mellons salutes Whitley in his 1994 tune "Honky Tonk Teachers." Kathy Mattea included the late

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