Keith Whitley tears my heart out! I loved his music.
Makes you want to set in a Honkey Tonk Saloon..grab some beer and cry in it.. 
I never was a big country music fan, although I love bluegrass, so I'm not very familiar with his music. Anyway, Keith Whitley, before he passed, was a big fan of my family's restaurant. My grandparents talked about him coming in very frequently before he made it big. After his popularity rose he would call in orders and have them picked up (by his sister if I'm not mistaken) to avoid the hassles that come with stardom. From what my grandparents and some old employees have told me, he was a very friendly, down to earth man.
Swoop