One of the biggest “what ifs” in country music. Today is the 36th anniversary of the death of the legendary Keith Whitley, who’s still regarded as one of the greatest country singers of all time despite his career being cut all too short. Whitley got his start in music as a member of Ralph Stanley’s band in his home state of Kentucky, alongside another bluegrass legend, Ricky Skaggs. And after making a name for himself as one of greatest bluegrass singers of the time, Keith moved to Nashville to pursue his country music career. He dropped his first EP, A Hard Act To Follow, in 1984, but Whitley was still struggling to find his sound and the album was only a minor success. But he found it in 1985 with his debut full-length album L.A. to Miami, which featured classics like “Miami, My Amy,” “Nobody In His Right Mind Would’ve Left Her” and “Ten Feet Away.” And by the time he released his sophomore album, Don’t Close Your Eyes, it was clear that country music had something special with Keith Whitley. When Keith Whitley sang, you felt every word of the pain in his music, of the emotion in his voice, and of his love for country music. But unfortunately, the pain in his music came from his own personal struggles, including his addiction to alcohol. And on May 9, 1989, Keith Whitley passed away at just 34 years old from an accidental overdose, putting an abrupt end to one of the most promising careers in country music. I’ve said before that if Keith Whitley hadn’t passed away so young, he would be considered the King of Country Music over George Strait. What he accomplished over such a short career, and the legacy that he managed to leave behind, just prove how great he really was and make his loss all the more tragic. And I’m far from the only one who feels that way. In fact, even Waylon Jennings agreed that Keith Whitley was maybe the greatest country music singer of all time. Barry Walsh, who was Waylon’s former piano player, recalled being on his way home to Franklin, Tennessee on the day Whitley died. But knowing how much Waylon loved Whitley, he decided to go check on him. Waylon’s wife, Jessi Colter, answered the door and sent him to the den. Barry and Waylon sat down on the couch and watched the local news about Keith together for an hour or two, just taking it all in. At one point, Barry remembers Waylon Jennings looking at him and saying: “He looked at me and he said, ‘Hoss, that was the greatest country singer ever.’” Needless to say, he took it pretty hard: “He was gutted. He was really, really upset about that… as a lot of us were.” High praise from a legend himself, but it just goes to show you what an impact Keith Whitley had on country music during his short time here on this earth. And I still can’t help but think what could have been. It will forever be one of my big “what ifs” in country music. Keith Whitley, man, what a legend. The post On The Day Keith Whitley Died, Waylon Jennings Called Him “The Greatest Country Singer Ever” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Keepin’ records and taking names. Last night, the 60th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards were held in Frisco, Texas. The night was filled with some great moments before the show even got underway, like Zach Top being named the New Male Artist of the Year or Cody Johnson and his wife announcing they are pregnant with a baby boy on the red carpet. Once the stars headed into the Ford Center, the evening continued with more memorable moments, like Alan Jackson making the crow tear up during his emotional performance of “Remember When” and Lainey Wilson taking home the Entertainer of the Year award for the second consecutive year, making her the first woman in over a decade to do so. The night was also filled with typical award show nonsense, too. Like Old Dominion winning Group of the Year again over the Red Clay Strays and Flatland Cavalry, or Rascal Flatts is teaming up with the Backstreet Boys for a closing performance. While award shows have significantly improved over the years, we can’t win them all as country fans, right? While a few records were set last night, like Lainey Wilson’s ETOY win, one country duo has stood the test of time and extended its already record-setting number of ACM Award wins. Last night,  Brooks & Dunn won, taking home Duo of the Year. This was Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks’ 17th time taking home the award in this category. Sheesh. Brooks & Dunn won their first ACM Award in 1992 and recalled the moments after their first acceptance speech with Billboard. Brooks said it felt like they were in the game that year, given it was their first major award show. Dunn added: “I remember we were walking off the stage, I was looking this way, and [Kix] was looking that way, and we were both fighting back tears.” They’ve been icons for quite some time, and since the release of Reboot II, which gave their career a resurgence, it seems like they will continue to be a major player for the foreseeable future. However, their 17th win for Duo of the Year wasn’t the only record they extended last night. They also kept their reign as the most awarded duo in ACM history, adding another notch to their belt with 31 wins total. While they still have a way to catch up to the most awarded ACM artist, Miranda Lambert, they are still in a league of their own with 31 awards to their name. Brooks & Dunn has stood the test of time in this cutthroat industry and proved last night that they are not going anywhere. .@BrooksandDunn are officially the ACM Duo of the Year! This marks their first win in the category in 15 YEARS. #ACMawards pic.twitter.com/YHhlWEISMY — ACM Awards (@ACMawards) May 9, 2025 The night before the ACM Awards, country music stars gathered for the ‘Play Something Country’ Gala, where the famed ’90s duo was honored. The event featured a seated dinner, a silent auction, and performances of their greatest hits by Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, and more. One of the standout performances of the evening was Eric Church covering “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone.” This single is one of the few where Kix Brooks took the lead vocals in the studio and is a certified country heartbreaker. Eric Church did the song justice with his take. Check it out before you go. @katdunn ACM Awards 60th Anniversary Gala honoring Brooks & Dunn #brooksanddunn #ericchurch #acmawards @ACM Awards ♬ original sound – katdunn The post “God Bless Country Music & America” – Brooks & Dunn Extend Their ACM Record For Duo Of The Year Wins first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Dierks Bentley went cinematic for his new song release. The country music star is gearing up to release his 11th studio album, Broken Branches, on June 13. Bentley has already given a couple of sneak peaks into the project, with songs like “She Hates Me,” “Well Well Whiskey,” and Cold Beer Can,” which featured Stephen Wilson Jr. While we’re on the topic of collaborations, Dierks also has John Anderson, Riley Green and Miranda Lambert supporting him on the track list. The title track of the album is set to have both Anderson and Green included… and considering the success of Ella Langley’s “You Look Like You Love Me,” Riley has proven to be an effective feature. But with “Standing in the Sun,” a love song that paints a picture of true, lasting love, Dierks Bentley went solo. The track exudes gratitude, and Bentley’s signature gravely sound pairs up perfect with the writing of Kyle Sturrock, as Dierks explains: “This is one of those songs that I never in a million years could have written on my own, but I’m so glad someone in this town did and gave me temporary custody of it for awhile. Love is such a classic theme in country music, but Kyle was able to write it in a way that is so personal to me… it’s the way I feel it. And, I love how sonically it builds to feel like a sunrise, tying back to the lyric of the song.” Speaking of building up to a sunrise, the release of “Standing in the Sun” came with a music video that’s as artful as it is impressive. It’s all shot in one take, which is also referred to as a “oner” (think about the war film 1917 or the new Apple TV show The Studio), which means the country singer couldn’t afford to mess up. Especially because they were trying to time up the nearly four-minute track with the sunrise, with the setting of the music video being the beautiful Tennessee farm that Dierks and his family lives on. It undoubtedly took a lot of planning, and though Dierks wasn’t asked to do a lot during the music video, he still had to make sure he nailed it. Think about it… if Bentley messes up at any moment, it’s back to square one the following day. That’s the beauty – and the agonizing element – of shooting everything in one take. But when it all comes together? Chef’s kiss. A cinematic, musical masterpiece. And it culminates with Bentley finally turning around (after walking away from the sun rise for the length of the video) and taking it all in as he’s “Standing in the Sun.” I’m sure once Dierks got to that final repeated chorus (transcribed below), he knew he was in the home stretch: “Cause loving you is standing in the sun Holding you’s a heat wave burning me up Ain’t no way I’ll ever get enough It’s just one kiss, one look, one touch That noise dies down and life slows up That world can be dark and wild and damn cold but Loving you is standing in the sun I’m standing in the sun.” You can check out the official music video for Bentley’s “Standing in the Sun” below: The post Dierks Bentley Releases “Standing In The Sun” With One-Take Music Video Filmed At His Tennessee Farm first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

A song about the battle of sobriety ironically makes you want to slam a beer… Marcus King might have dug deep into his emotions, showing off a more soulful side of his sound on his last record, Mood Swings. But he’s making sure fans know that he still know how to shred on a southern rock ballad with his latest single “Honky Tonk Hell.” “Honky Tonk Hell” is the kind of song that makes you want to light up a cigarette and start a bar fight in the best way possible. If you’ve seen Marcus King and the Marcus King Band on the road recently, there is a high chance you’ve witnessed this song live. In fact, King has been teasing this song for over five months, building up the anticipation and leaving fans practically drooling for more. Or at least that’s been my experience. I witnessed King lay down this rip-roaring track in October of 2024 in a show in Texas, and I have been infatuated with it since. From the gritty intro to King yelling into the microphone: “Somebody raise some hell one time!” This clip has lived rent-free in my head. @whiskeyriff : Dallas, TX @Marcus King // whiskeyriff.com #whiskeyriff #marcusking ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff “Honky Tonk Hell” transports listeners back to Carolina Confessions era of Marcus King Band. The song has a steady build-up with a subtle chug from the electric guitar leading fans into a groove before King brings in a horn section and a wicked steel lick. The studio version is a little more polished than how King presented the single on stage, but that’s a common thread with Marcus King live. He’s loud and he knows how to rock. However, the complex melody keeps listeners engaged, and the scaled-back studio cut of the song allows the New Orleans blues flair to shine brightly. The narrator questions whether anyone still cares about him after he’s given up his wild lifestyle, and he contemplates going back to his late-night lifestyle of partying and playing rock and roll music. King calls the song an anthem for anyone battling sobriety: “‘Honky Tonk Hell’ is an anthem for anyone out there like myself who have struggled with the permanence of sobriety – those who fear the thought they will never again howl at the moon. This song for me serves as a reminder to take it all one day at a time.” Here’s a look at the lyrics: “Heaven knows I miss my late night livin’ They’re getting along without me as far as I can tell Maybe I’ll go back to doing that voodoo Lord knows I do so well Sang a little rock and roll music Raise a little honky tonk hell Oh, everybody seems to think I changed since I quit drinkin’ Dropped all my bad habits and started back thinking When I jump off the wagon honey would you catch my fall? If I hollered out your name would you hear me call?” On Mood Swings, King opened up greatly about his addiction and mental health struggles. He’s also spoken candidly in the past about how he’s given up drinking, and before that, he was living the fast life on the road, doing drugs and drinking himself to death. However, the moment he met his now wife, Briley King, everything changed for him, and he got his life back on track and worked to better himself. While King seems to be thriving in life, I’m sure he has some stories, and this narrative feels like what he might have experienced in the early days of his journey to better himself and address his demons. No matter what inspired this song, it’s a certified heater. Every part of “Honky Tonk Hell” itches my brain just right. This one needs to be turned ALL the way up. Marcus King Tour Dates May 9—Grand Junction, CO—Avalon Theater May 10—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre* May 11—Wichita, KS—The Cotillion Ballroom June 6—Nashville, TN—CMA Fest June 12—Manchester, TN—Bonnaroo June 13—La Grange, KY—Showbarn Sessions August 1—Mammoth Lakes, CA—Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza August 14—Park City, UT—Park City Song Summit August 15—West Valley City, UT—Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre† August 16—West Valley City, UT—Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre† August 23—Charleston, SC—Marcus King Band Family Reunion Festival August 24—Charleston, SC—Marcus King Band Family Reunion Festival August 31—Aspen, CO—Jazz Aspen Snowmass Festival September 5—Madison, IN—Unbroken Circle Festival At Bicentennial Park September 12—Lincoln, NE—Pinnacle Bank Arena‡ September 15-21—Seattle, WA—Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea Alaska September 25—Green Bay, WI—Resch Center§ September 26—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum§ September 27-28—St. Louis, MO—Evolution Festival October 2—Detroit, MI—Little Caesars Arena§ October 3—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena§ October 9—Indianapolis, IN—Gainbridge Fieldhouse§ October 10—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena§ October 11—Cleveland, OH—Rocket Arena§ October 25—Birmingham, AL—Legacy Arena at The BJCC‡ *with Kaleo †with Chris Stapleton ‡with Cody Johnson §with Eric ChurchThe post Marcus King Tackles The Struggles Of Sobriety With Certified Twanger “Honky Tonk Hell” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Follow NewsClips channel at Brighteon.com for more updatesSubscribe to Brighteon newsletter to get the latest news and more featured videos:https://support.brighteon.com/Subscribe.html

Follow NewsClips channel at Brighteon.com for more updatesSubscribe to Brighteon newsletter to get the latest news and more featured videos:https://support.brighteon.com/Subscribe.html

Follow NewsClips channel at Brighteon.com for more updatesSubscribe to Brighteon newsletter to get the latest news and more featured videos:https://support.brighteon.com/Subscribe.html

Follow NewsClips channel at Brighteon.com for more updatesSubscribe to Brighteon newsletter to get the latest news and more featured videos:https://support.brighteon.com/Subscribe.html

Follow NewsClips channel at Brighteon.com for more updatesSubscribe to Brighteon newsletter to get the latest news and more featured videos:https://support.brighteon.com/Subscribe.html