When Keith Whitley died 30 years ago this month on May 9th, 1989, Vince Gill was inspired to honor the Kentucky country singers memory by writing a new song. It became Go Rest High on That Mountain, which Gill completed four years later after the death of his older brother Bob. Since then, its become a staple at funerals, especially in the country music world, with Gill famously performing a voice-cracking rendition at a ceremony for George Jones in 2013.
On Monday nights episode of The Voice, contestant Rod Stokes offered his own version, favoring drama and grit over Gills subdued falsetto in the hope that itll advance him forward from the Top 8 semi-final. Stokes, a Mississippi native, is a member of Kelly Clarksons team.
Go Rest High on That Mountain originally appeared on Gills 1994 album When Love Finds You. In 2014, he reflected on the power of the song and how its sometimes misunderstood.
Its become about the most used funeral song in the country, and that blows my mind. I wrote it right after my brother died [Gills half-brother Bob died in 1993]. I wasnt going to record it, I didnt want to. But [When Love Finds Youproducer] Tony Brown talked me into it. He said, You should get this sentiment on record and we did, Gill told Rolling Stone. It sounds very, very sad, but the lyric is very uplifting. I dont think anybody grasped that. They just hear the sadness in it and the intent.
Last week, Gill previewed his upcoming album Okie by releasing the moving, personal tribute to his mother, A Letter to My Mama.