Jesse Keith Whitley is opening up about what put him in the hospital last month. He’s also shaking off critics and doubters dubious of his new perspective.
After experiencing “the worst pain of my life,” Whitley entered a hospital on Nov. 28 for what ended up being a week-long stay. That led to a life transformation and sobriety for the country singer.
- Jesse Keith Whitley (38) is Keith Whitley‘s son with singer Lorrie Morgan.
- He is also a touring country music singer and songwriter.
- Keith Whitley died of alcohol poisoning on May 9, 1989.
More than 2,500 people reacted to Taste of Country’s story on Facebook, with nearly 300 leaving comments. Many were supportive of Whitley as he enters a new phase of life.
READ MORE: Remember the Tragic Way Keith Whitley Died?
“It takes a lot of courage to share your battles publicly, let alone fight them,” says Kari Haley-Hathaway. “Remaining sober while haters tear at you is yet a bigger testament to strength.”
Others were less kind. Some people rolled their eyes at one month of sobriety or suggested he should have known better, having had a father whose death was caused by alcohol.
“It’s definitely sober: especially when you know more drink could end it all for you,” Jesse Keith Whitley replied.
“When you make the conscious decision to set it down and realize there are much more important things and you’re not drinking, not doing anything to hurt your health or relationships, it’s sober. It’s gonna continue and in a few years we’ll come back to this comment.”
Jesse Keith Whitley’s Hospitalization Explained
Whitley replied to over a half dozen comments beneath ToC’s Facebook post. Facebook is his largest and most active social media platform, with nearly 240K followers. That’s where he shared the original life update.
“I turned to my faith and prayed that God would give me the strength to best the demon that’s taken so much from me through my life. I said out loud ‘God help me back on the your road and I will never stray from you again,'” he wrote on Dec. 28.
The cause of his pain and subsequent hospitalization was pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas.
Facebook.com/TheTasteofCountry
Several fans reacted to his comment with stories of their own pancreatitis battle, beneath which Whitley re-emphasized the pain he was in.
Look for the singer to tour in 2026. He says he’s back in the gym and feeling great.
“Not hurting or looking for the fix that afternoon,” he wrote in Sunday morning’s post.
Jesse Keith Whitley Songs
Jesse Keith Whitley’s most recent release is a song called “Good Ol’ Boy,” featuring Katie Noel. His last album came in 2021.
Breakin’ Ground is an 11-song project that includes all of his most-played songs on Spotify.
“Try to Change My Ways” and “Think of Me” — a song he wrote with his mother, Lorrie Morgan — are his two most popular songs.
On YouTube, “Try to Change My Ways” is his second most popular video, behind a duet with Upchurch.
R.I.P.: 40 Country Singers and Songwriters Who Died Too Soon
These country singers had so much more to give. See 40 country singers who died much too soon: Keith Whitley, Mindy McCready, Troy Gentry and more.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes