To Lorrie Morgan, Keith Whitley's voice—a warm baritone that inspired stars from Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood to Blake Shelton and Chris Young—came from a combination of heart and vocal technique.

“Everything that Keith sang, he sang with conviction,” says Morgan, a fellow country singer and Whitley's wife from 1986 until his death in 1989.

Keith Whitley got his start alongside Country Music Hall of Fame member Ricky Skaggs and their mountain music hero Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys. Later, as a solo artist, Whitley rose to the top of the country charts with songs including “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “When You Say Nothing at All,” and “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum captured Whitley's accomplishments and influence in the exhibition "Still Rings True: The Enduring Voice of Keith Whitley," and Lorrie Morgan reflects on why his voice continues to resonate here.

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Explore the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s current exhibitions: https://countrymusichalloffame.org/current-exhibits/

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