Blake Shelton has long been a flag-waving, ardent lover of traditional country music. Now, after stepping back from the spotlight following his departure from The Voice, it’s his dedication to the format’s roots and history that is bringing him back to the spotlight – and the screen.
Shelton teamed with Lee Metzger, a former executive producer on NBC’s The Voice” to create the new production company Lucky Horseshoe Entertainment. Their Lucky Horseshoe Entertainment aligned with Anomaly Content & Entertainment (ACE) to film what might be the first – and is undoubtedly the first family-approved — documentary film centered on the life and influence of Country Music Hall of Famer icon Keith Whitley.
“Keith Whitley released only three albums during his life, but his music has influenced generations of country music artists and fans,” Shelton said. “Gwen and I love to watch music documentaries, and I looked for his doc one night and couldn’t believe that there wasn’t one. I’m proud and honored we get to bring his incredible story to film.”
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Filming Begins on the Keith Whitley Documentary in January
Filming will begin in January. Shelton and Metzger will produce the documentary with ACE Partner Evan Hayes (Free Solo) and ACE Partner and CEO Justin Barocas serving as Executive Producer.
Zach Heinzerling, an Academy Award-nominated director renowned for his work on acclaimed projects like “Cutie and the Boxer” and “McCartney 3,2,1,” is set to direct the film.
Whitley had earned great respect in bluegrass music before moving to Nashville to launch his solo career in the early-to-mid ’80s. He signed with RCA Records in 1984 and released a six-song EP Hard to Follow in 1984, which went largely unnoticed. However, he released his debut LP L.A. to Miami the following year. His first hit songs, “Ten Feet Away,” “Homecoming ’63,” and “Hard Livin’,” set him on the path to becoming one of the most respected singers in country music history. Whitley’s artistic taste ran counter to much of the slick production of that era, and his next album – 1988’s Don’t Close Your Eyes — leaned into the modern honkytonk sound for which he’s known. The album was home to chart-topping songs, including the title track, “When You Say Nothing at All,” and “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.”
Whitley married Grand Ole Opry star George Morgan’s daughter, Lorrie Morgan, in 1986. He adopted her daughter, and the couple had a son. However, Whitley had a deadly struggle with alcohol addiction, and he passed away from acute alcohol poisoning on May 9, 1989.
Whitley’s third album, I Wonder Do You Think of Me, came out three months after his death.
Shelton knew Lorrie Morgan had written a frank brook that detailed her husband’s struggles and met with her to share his intentions.
Blake Shelton Got Lorrie Morgan’s Permission to Make the Documentary
“I told her that my goal was to create a documentary about Keith where you learned the real truth about him and his demons,” Shelton said. “But you also walk away loving him even more than you did in the first place. That’s what we have to do, or else we’re not doing it.”
The documentary will include archival footage from the Country Music Hall of Fame, personal collections and interviews from Lorrie Morgan, and an exploration of Whitley’s small hometown of Sandy Hook, Kentucky.
Heinzerling is anxious to get started.
“Thanks to Blake, we finally have the chance to uncover the truth behind the legend that is Keith Whitley: a layered and heartbreaking story of talent, hardship, and love that is long overdue,” the director said.
In addition to starting production on his Keith Whitley documentary, Shelton recently released his new song “Texas,” his record-breaking debut single with BBR MUSIC GROUP/BMG NASHVILLE and Wheelhouse Records. Johnny Clawson, Kyle Sturrock, Josh Dorr, and Lalo Guzman wrote “Texas,” and Scott Hendricks, Shelton’s longtime collaborator, produced the song.
“It kind of walks a line that’s a little bit of a ‘Stranger In My House’ or something like that,” Shelton told American Songwriter. “It’s kind of got this haunting thing about it, but you can also jam out and rock out to it at the same time.”
(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
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