Don't Close Your Eyes (album)

Don't Close Your Eyes
Studio album by Keith Whitley
Released May 31, 1988
Genre Country
Length 39:31
Label RCA
Producer
Keith Whitley chronology
L.A. to Miami
(1985)L.A. to Miami1985
Don't Close Your Eyes
(1987)
I Wonder Do You Think of Me
(1989)I Wonder Do You Think of Me1989
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Don't Close Your Eyes is the second studio album by country music artist Keith Whitley and the last to be released during his lifetime. It was released on May 31, 1987 through RCA Records. After the success of his debut album, L.A. to Miami (1985), Whitley re-entered the studio and began recording a second album with producer Blake Mevis. After its completion, Whitley was unhappy with its production, and he convinced his label to shelve the recordings. Don't Close Your Eyes was subsequently recorded with producer Garth Fundis.[2][3] The album's liner notes credit Fundis and Whitley with production on all tracks except "Some Old Side Road" and "Would These Arms Be in Your Way", which are credited to Mevis.[4]

The album became a commercial success, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. It contained three consecutive number one hits on the Hot Country Singles chart: "Don't Close Your Eyes", "When You Say Nothing at All", and "I'm No Stranger to the Rain".

Track listing

  1. "Flying Colors" (Kim Morrison, Gary Talley) - 3:35
  2. "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" (Don Cook, Curly Putman, Keith Whitley) - 2:45
  3. "Lucky Dog" (Bill Caswell, Verlon Thompson) - 2:00A
  4. "Don't Close Your Eyes" (Bob McDill) - 4:09
  5. "The Birmingham Turnaround" (Warren Robb, Sanger D. Shafer) - 2:49
  6. "Some Old Side Road" (Roger D. Ferris) - 3:25
  7. "Would These Arms Be in Your Way" (Hank Cochran, Vern Gosdin, Red Lane) - 3:10A
  8. "I'm No Stranger to the Rain" (Sonny Curtis, Ron Hellard) - 3:33
  9. "I Never Go Around Mirrors (I've Got a Heartache to Hide)" (Lefty Frizzell, Shafer) - 4:24
  10. "When You Say Nothing at All" (Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz) - 3:40
  11. "Day in the Life of a Fool" (Mike Dekle, Byron Hill) - 3:37A
  12. "Honky Tonk Heart" (Johnny Neel, Lonnie Wilson) - 3:04

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.[5]

All tracks except "Some Old Side Road" and "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"

Musicians


Technical

  • Garth Fundis — production, mixing
  • Carlos Grier — mastering assistant
  • Gary Laney — engineering, mixing
  • Denny Purcell — mastering
  • Todd Sholar — assistant engineer
  • Keith Whitley — production


"Some Old Side Road" and "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"

Musicians

  • Sonny Garrish — steel guitar
  • Vern Gosdin — background vocals on "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"
  • Rob Hajacos — fiddle on "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"
  • Emmylou Harris — background vocals on "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"
  • Mitch Humphries — keyboards
  • Jerry Kroon — drums
  • Mike Lawler — synthesizer
  • Larry Paxton — bass guitar
  • Brent Rowan — lead guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Keith Whitley — lead vocals
  • Dennis Wilson — background vocals on "Some Old Side Road"
  • Curtis "Mr. Harmony" Young — background vocals on "Some Old Side Road"

Technical

  • Bill Harris — engineering
  • Blake Mevis — production

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1988) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 8
U.S. Billboard 200 121
Canadian RPM Country Albums 10

Singles

Year Single Peak positions
US Country CAN Country
1987 "Would These Arms Be in Your Way" 36
"Some Old Side Road" 16 32
1988 "Don't Close Your Eyes" 1 2
"When You Say Nothing at All" 1 *
1989 "I'm No Stranger to the Rain" 1 1

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[6] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Production

References

  1. Owens, Thom. "Don't Close Your Eyes review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  2. Jack Hurst (May 15, 1988). "Back In Focus". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  3. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Keith Whitley: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  4. Don't Close Your Eyes (CD booklet). Keith Whitley. RCA Records. 1988. 6494-2-R.
  5. Don't Close Your Eyes (CD booklet). Keith Whitley. RCA Records. 1988. 6494.
  6. "American album certifications – Keith Whitley – Don't Close Your Eyes". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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