One of many highly gifted musicians taken too soon, Keith Whitley passed away at the tender age of 34, but not before making a huge impact on the country world. The Kentucky native's emotive delivery was the stuff of legend, with few artists presenting such an authentic sense of heartbreak in their material. Thankfully, chart success didn't elude this extraordinary talent, with the new traditionalist earning five number one hits on the Billboard chart during his time at the top.