When she's not giving her stamp of approval to the songs of modern country superstars (Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll) and rising acts (Avery Anna), Kelly Clarkson uses her Kelly-oke segments on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" to pay homage to classic songs. Indeed, she's delved into the works of country legends before, including Johnny Cash and Hank Williams Jr. Recently, she sang "When You Say Nothing At All," a 1988 hit for yet another Country Music Hall of Fame inductee in Keith Whitley.
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As usual, Clarkson made a familiar song her own with her mighty voice— plus major assists from her in-house musicians, known collectively as My Band Ya'll. Just as the song fit former bluegrass prodigy Whitley's earthy vocals, it suited a showcase of Clarkson's impressive range.
Viewers came away reminded that Clarkson loves a wide variety of artists, from fellow "The Voice" alum Niall Horan to Whitley.
For those unfamiliar with Whitley and the '80s neo-traditional country boom, he came of age around the same time as Randy Travis and others more grounded in classic country than their modern pop-oriented peers. Whitley died in 1989 at the young age of 34. In '88 and '89, Whitley compiled five straight No. 1s, including "When You Say Nothing at All" and posthumous singles "I Wonder Do You Think of Me" and "It Ain't Nothin'".
"When You Say Nothing at All" was penned by songwriting legends Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz. The same duo also wrote "On the Other Hand," which got cut by both Whitley and Travis.
In 1994, Alison Krauss and Union Station covered the song for a Keith Whitley tribute album. This grassed-up version reached No. 3 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart amid the '90s country boom.
