Backstage Country

Blake Shelton To Produce Keith Whitley Documentary

Blake Shelton’s company Lucky Horseshoe Entertainment and Anomaly Content & Entertainment (ACE) have announced the production of a documentary film centered on the life and influence of country music icon…

Blake Shelton posing in a blue blazer, and Keith Whitley in black and white.
Catherine POwell, Keith Whitley Estate/Getty Images

Blake Shelton's company Lucky Horseshoe Entertainment and Anomaly Content & Entertainment (ACE) have announced the production of a documentary film centered on the life and influence of country music icon Keith Whitley, which will start filming in January 2025.

The documentary will be produced by Blake Shelton and Lee Metzger of Lucky Horseshoe Productions, along with ACE Partner Evan Hayes (Free Solo) and ACE Partner and CEO Justin Barocas serving as Executive Producer. The film aims to unveil the personal and professional journey of one of country music's most influential and celebrated figures.

Blake, producer and lifelong admirer of Whitley's work, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Keith Whitley released only three albums during his life, but his music has influenced generations of country music artists and fans."

He added, "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."

Keith Whitley, who passed away at the age of 34, left behind a legacy that continues to inspire countless artists like Blake, Morgan Wallen, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, and many more. Whitley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2023. This film will delve into Whitley's life, his struggles with addiction, his love for fellow country singer Lorrie Morgan, and the impact of his music on the industry.

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. 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.

Blake And Gwen

Speaking of Shelton and Gwen Stefani, they are one of popular culture's favorite couples. But they almost didn't happen. As Gwen told People Magazine recently, when they first got together she was ready to break it off.

Gwen told the publication, "We had just met, and it was chaos. Both of our lives were in complete turmoil, all over the ground. Nothing could save us at that point. There was a point where I was like, 'I can't even talk to you. This is insane. I already have enough problems. This is not happening anymore. We're not going to text or nothing.'"

Then, Blake worked to write a song with the pop star, and that changed things a bit. Stefani said that Shelton "really wanted to impress me" because he doesn't "really write songs as much as he used to." She went on to say that she loves writing songs noting, "That's everything to me."

At the time, Blake began writing what would become "Go Ahead and Break My Heart," a duet the couple released in 2016.

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.