Anytime a country artist passes away, it feels like a big loss to all of country music. But that loss is especially devastating when an artist passes away in the prime of their career, like these three artists.
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Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline was just 30 years old when she died in a plane crash on March 5, 1963. At the time, Cline’s third studio album, Sentimentally Yours, was less than a year old. She was also enjoying a string of hits on the radio with “Leavin’ On Your Mind” released just two months before Cline’s death.
When Cline died, she had already been delayed by bad weather after performing at a benefit in Kansas City, Kansas. Dottie West offered Cline a ride home with her husband, Bill, in their car, an offer Cline turned down. Instead, she boarded a plane with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins, who had also been part of the benefit, along with the pilot, Randy Hughes.
After stopping to refuel, in spite of bad weather, Hughes opted to fly the rest of the way home with the passengers on board. The plane crashed about 90 miles outside of Nashville.
Keith Whitley
Keith Whitley was 34 years old when he passed away on May 9, 1989. When Whitley died from alcohol poisoning, he was already having plenty of success.
Whitley had released two albums, both L.A. To Miami and Don’t Close Your Eyes, and was working on his third, I Wonder Do You Think Of Me, which was posthumously released after Whitley’s death. Whitley also had a string of No. 1 hits, including “Don’t Close Your Eyes”, “When You Say Nothing At All”, and “I’m No Stranger To The Rain”.
When Whitley died, he was married to Lorrie Morgan. She admits she knew that his drinking was a problem.
“I’d been around alcoholism throughout my life,” Morgan says. “I never, never expected anything as bad as Keith had it. I thought it would just take love and someone to help him to get through with it. He wanted it that way. But something inside of him wouldn’t let him. It literally was like he had cancer and could not control.”
Montgomery Gentry’s Troy Gentry
Troy Gentry was 50 years old when he died on September 7, 2017. One-half of the Montgomery Gentry duo, along with Eddie Montgomery, Gentry was killed in a helicopter crash shortly after take-off.
When Gentry died, Montgomery Gentry was already considered one of the top acts in country music. The duo had several successful albums and radio hits, and were still touring heavily when the accident occurred.
“A little piece of my soul got lost there,” Montgomery tells People, speaking of the accident. “It was a horrific day; my world changed as much as the band did. It’s something that you never get over. It’s going to be in my mind and my soul for the rest of my life.”
Montgomery continued to tour for a while as Montgomery Gentry before switching to billing himself as a solo artist.
Photo by Johnny Franklin/andmorebears/Getty Images
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