Undiscovered: 5 Kieth Whitley Songs We Know You'll Love

Keith Whitley would be celebrating his 67th birthday today. Despite having passed away over 30 years ago, his music has remained relevant even today. To celebrate this star’s birthday, here are 5 songs by Whitley that you may not know.

1. “Buck”

From his album, Wherever You Are Tonight, “Buck” is about the trend of pop music overshadowing the country music that Whitley loves so dearly. He sings about bringing back American singer Buck Owens to the industry to bring popularity to country tunes, “Everybody's goin' pop / Buck could bring that to a stop / It sure would be good luck / Let's bring back Buck.” With the rise and fall of new trends, the song is just as relevant as ever.

Credit to 650AMWSM on YouTube.

2. "Daddy Loved Trains”

Another nostalgic song from Wherever You Are Tonight, Whitley worked with songwriter Don Cook on this tune. The song speaks to learning from the mistakes of others, “in ways I guess I'm different but in ways, I'm just the same / I've grown to love somebody like my daddy loved those trains.” Whitley refuses to make the same mistakes with love that his father did, and the sincerity tugs on the listener's heartstrings.

Credit to Brandon House on YouTube.

3. “That Stuff”

L.A. to Miami was Whitley’s debut album, “That Stuff” was one of the few from the album that didn’t make its way to the charts, but its carefree attitude is perfect for lounging around on the pontoon on a hot summer’s day. The song is relaxed in its tone, refreshing compared to day-to-day stress, “well, they can take that job and shove it / I'ma-gonna dance with you to the broad daylight.” The song is a weekend anthem, to say the least.

4. “Heartbreak Highway”

From the album, I Wonder Do You Think of Me, “Heartbreak Highway” was written by Brent Mason, Don Pfrimmer, and Lonnie Wilson. This beautiful song is the epitome of romance, “Heartbreak highway / Fast lane to the blues / each turn I take / Leads me back to you.” It speaks to love even beyond a break-up, relatable for anyone with lingering feelings from a past relationship.

5. "Poor Monroe”

Co-written with Ricky Skaggs, “Poor Monroe” is about a hard-working man down on his luck. The song is also a social commentary on abusing laborers as he sings, “That's what's messing up the country / And making it so tough / While Monroe's living it down / His family's living it up.” As one of his older songs, it maintains relevance today and should be on every Whitley fan’s radar.

To hear more of country music’s best new releases, head to our Playlists Page and follow The Nash New Releases playlist on Spotify. For the latest in country music news follow The Nash News on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, and don’t miss our brand new newsletter!