1954 /Keith Whitley born July 1 in Sandy Hook, KY.
1963 /Sings Hank Williams' You Win Again on Buddy Starcher's Charleston West Virginia radio show.
1969 /Meets Ricky Skaggs and forms duet to sing Stanley Brothers songs.
1970 / Discovered by Ralph Stanley and joins Clinch Mountain Boys. Makes debut on Opry in the Ryman Auditorium performing with Stanley.
1971 /Records seven albums with Stanley's group, including Cry From The Cross, named Bluegrass Album of the Year. Records 2nd Generation Bluegrass with Skaggs as a duet album.
1972 / Records final album with Skaggs in Stanley's group. Does own local radio show with Skaggs and others as The Lonesome Mountain Boys.
1973-75 /Works in bands The New Tradition and The Country Store with pickers Jimmy Gaudreau, Carl Jackson and Bill Rollins.
1975-77 /Returns to Clinch Mountain Boys, records five more Stanley LPs.
1979 /Marries first wife Kathi.
1979-82 /Joins J.D. Crowe & The New South, records three country/bluegrass fusion albums with group for Rounder Records.
1983 /Moves to Nashville in January.
1984 /Lands RCA recording contract. First single, Turn Me To Love, released September 21 and features harmony by Reba McEntire. Second single appears in November, Don't Our Love Look Natural.
1985 /Keith and Kathi file for divorce. Single A Hard Act To Follow is also the title tune for his six- song mini-LP. Single I've Got The Heart For You also released.
1986 /Miami My Amy becomes breakthrough hit. Ten Feet Away makes top-10. Marries Lorrie Morgan on November 22. She costars in video for next top-10 hit, Homecoming '63. First full RCA album From L.A. to Miami.
1987 /Singles Hard Livin', Would These Arms Be In Your Way and Some Old Side Road. Son Jesse Keith Whitley born June 15.
1988 /Don't Close Your Eyes LP yields title tune as biggest country hit of the year plus second No. 1 hit When You Say Nothing At All.
1989 /Whitley dies at age 34 on May 9 of alcohol overdose. I'm No Stranger To The Rain, I Wonder Do You Think Of Me and It Ain't Nothin' all hit No. 1. I Wonder Do You Think Of Me album released.
1990 /Lorrie and Keith's duet Til A Tear Becomes A Rose wins CMA Award. I'm Over You becomes top-10 hit. Greatest Hits CD appears.
1991 / Kentucky Bluebird album released: Brotherly Love duet with Earl Thomas Conley and Somebody's Doin Me Right emerge as hits. Suzy Bogguss & Lee Greenwood hit top-10 with Whitley's Hopelessly Yours.
1994 /Lorrie Morgan writes and sings If You Came Back From Heaven in Keith's memory. Keith Whitley: A Tribute Album released.
1995 / Wherever You Are Tonight is released. It contains only songs written or co-written by Keith.
