Blake Shelton is doing his part to help honor one of his musical idols. The 48-year-old is teaming up with Lucky Horseshoe Entertainment and Anomaly Content & Entertainment to create a documentary on the life and career of Keith Whitley, who was just 34 years old when he passed away in 1989.
“Keith Whitley released only three albums during his life, but his music has influenced generations of country music artists,” Shelton shares on social media. “I’m proud and honored we get to bring his incredible story to film.”
“The documentary will feature extensive archival footage from the Country Music Hall of Fame and personal collections from Lorrie Morgan, providing a rich tapestry of Whitley’s life and career,” he continues. “It will also explore the small town of Sandy Hook, Kentucky, where Keith grew up, and include reflections from Lorrie as she navigates her own career while honoring his memory.”
View this post on Instagram
In a press release announcing the new, still-untitled documentary, which will begin filming in 2025, Shelton shares his excitement for being part of honoring the 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee.
“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,” Shelton says.
“It’s an honor to bring Keith’s story to a wide audience,” adds Lucky Horseshoes Entertainment’s Lee Metzger. “He’s the kind of singer everyone knows the songs when they hear them but doesn’t know the story of the singer who performed them.”
Academy Award-nominated director Zach Heinzerling, known for his work on acclaimed projects like Cutie and the Boxer and McCartney 3,2,1, among others, will direct the film.
“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,” Heinzerling says.
The Whitley documentary is just one of the many new ventures Shelton is currently enjoying. He is back at radio with a new single, “Texas,” his first on BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, after recently leaving Warner Music Nashville, the label he had been with since his self-titled debut album was released in 2001.
It was Post Malone who inspired Shelton to release more music, after the rapper invited Shelton to sing with him on “Pour Me a Drink,” from Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion album.
“I really credit Post Malone for this new energy that I have because I was kind of just complacent and not in any hurry,” Shelton tells People. “Then that kid came along and asked me to sing on his song with him. It took off and was a big hit this summer, and it reminded me like, ‘Hey, get off your a–! This may be your last chance to really take a big swing at this thing.’ So here I am.”
As soon as Shelton heard “Texas,” he knew it was the perfect song to launch the next chapter of his career.
“I feel like I want to make a big swing at this thing this time, and I hope that it’s as right as it can be,” Shelton tells American Songwriter. “We didn’t even have to have those conversations with ‘Texas.’ It was just, ‘Oh my God, we’re doing this.’”
“Texas” set a new career record for Shelton when it was released, with the most first-week adds at radio ever in his career. Find the song and all of Shelton’s music and upcoming shows at BlakeShelton.com.