Under the soft glow of the stage lights, Jesse Keith Whitley stood silent for a moment, guitar in hand—then opened his mouth, and the past came rushing back. With every note of his emotional tribute to his late father, Keith Whitley, the crowd was transported to another time… a time when heartache was poetry and country music bled pure and honest.

It’s a known fact that talent can certainly be passed down through generations. Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr., Hank Williams III, Hilary Williams, and Holly Williams have proven this to be true. Jesse Keith Whitley not only has a legendary dad in Keith Whitley, he also has a talented country-singin’ mama in Lorrie Morgan.

Because of his DNA and his name, he has been compared to his late father his entire life. In 2014, he penned a song about following his father’s footsteps, as well as forging his own path and pursuing country music as a career. In his song “Shadows,” Jesse details a conversation he imagines between himself and Keith.