You can’t go wrong with a classic Keith Whitley cover, especially when you have vocals like Jamey Johnson.
The 50-year-old singer-songwriter recently celebrated the four-year anniversary of his Grand Ole Opry Induction with a special show at the legendary Nashville venue on May 15. While the night’s main focus was on showcasing the 11-time-Grammy-nominated artist’s massive career, he also took a moment to honor recently passed fellow Opry member and songwriter, Don Schiltz.
The country music world was devastated by the loss of the creative mind behind some of the biggest hits like “The Gambler,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” and “Deeper Than The Holler,” who sadly passed away on April 16 at the age of 73.
During his big night, Johnson decided to highlight one of Schiltz’s fan-favorite number-one hit tracks, “When You Say Nothing At All.” The timeless song has seen four different iterations throughout Schiltz’s time, famously recorded and bringing it to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart in 1988 by Keith Whitley. Alison Krauss & the Union Station, along with two following Irish singers (Frances Black and Ronan Keating), also put their own spin on the track co-written by Paul Overstreet.
The song became Whitley’s second-to-last single from his sophomore album, Don’t Close Your Eyes, before he passed from alcohol poisoning on May 9, 1989. It also marked the second of five consecutive chart-toppers for Whitley, who unfortunately did not see the latter two before his death.
Continuing to stand the test of time as one of the greatest country love songs, to no one’s surprise, Johnson’s deep vocals suit this classic song beautifully. Effortlessly delivering his rendition with his acoustic guitar in hand, Schiltz and the late legend Whitley would no doubt approve of the tribute.
Johnson didn’t stop there, also highlighting Schiltz’s catalogue with two other equally easy-listening performances of “The Gambler” and Randy Travis’ “On The Other Hand”