Conway Twitty born
Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist. He also had success in early
rock and rollRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
,
R&BRhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, and
pop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1
Billboard countryHot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
hits until
George StraitGeorge Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
broke the record in 2006. From 1971–76, Twitty received a string of
Country Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards for duets with
Loretta LynnLoretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
. He was never a member of the
Grand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, but was inducted into both the Country Music and the
RockabillyThe Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on the internet on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities involved in this pioneering American music genre....
Halls of Fame.
Early life
Conway Twitty was born Harold Jenkins on September 1, 1933 in
Friars Point, MississippiFriars Point is a town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Friars Point is located at ....
. He was named by his great uncle, after his favorite
silent movieSilent Movie is a 1976 satirical comedy film co-written, directed by, and starring Mel Brooks, and released by 20th Century Fox on June 17, 1976...
actor,
Harold LloydHarold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
. The Jenkins family moved to
Helena, ArkansasHelena is the eastern portion of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, this portion of the city population was 6,323. Helena was the county seat of Phillips County until January 1, 2006, when it merged its government and city limits with...
when Jenkins was 10 years of age, and it was in Helena that he put together his first singing group, the
Phillips County Ramblers.
Two years later, he had his own local radio show every Saturday morning. Jenkins also practiced his second passion,
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He received an offer to play with the
Philadelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
after high school (Smiths Station High), but he was drafted into the
US ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He served in the Far East and organized a group called The Cimmerons to entertain fellow GIs.
Jenkins' neighbor, Wayne Hause suggested he could make it in the music industry. Soon after hearing
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's song, "
Mystery Train"Mystery Train" is a song written by Junior Parker and Sam Phillips. It was first recorded in Phillip's Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee in 1953. Raymond Hill plays tenor sax and Matt Murphy plays lead guitar with Bill Johnson on piano, Pat Hare on...
", he began writing rock and roll material. He headed for the
Sun StudiosSun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
in
MemphisMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
,
TennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and worked with
Sam PhillipsSamuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s...
, owner and founder of Sun Studios, to get the "right" sound.
Stage name origin
Accounts of how Jenkins acquired his stage name vary. As one account would have it, Jenkins felt that his real name wasn't marketable, and he changed his show business name in 1957. Looking at a road map, he spotted
Conway, ArkansasConway is the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 58,908 at the 2010 census, making Conway the seventh most populous city in Arkansas. It is a principal city of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area which had...
and
Twitty, Texas. Thus, he went with the professional name of Conway Twitty.
Alternatively, Jenkins met a
Richmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, man named W. Conway Twitty Jr. through Jenkins' manager in a
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
restaurant. The manager served in the US Army with the real Conway Twitty. Later, the manager suggested to Jenkins that he take the name as his stage name because it had a ring to it. W. Conway Twitty subsequently recorded the song, "What's in A Name But Trouble" in the mid-1960s, lamenting the loss of his name to Jenkins.
Pop and rock and roll success
Twitty's fortunes changed in 1958, while he was with
MGM RecordsMGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
, under the name Conway. An
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
radio station did not play "I'll Try", an MGM single that went nowhere in terms of sales, radio play, and
jukeboxA jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
play; instead playing the B side, "
It's Only Make Believe"It's Only Make Believe" is the title of a song written by Jack Nance and American country music artist Conway Twitty, released by Twitty as a single in July 1958. The single topped both U.S...
", a song written between sets by Twitty and drummer Jack Nance when they were in
Hamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
playing at the Flamingo Lounge. The record took nearly one year to reach and stay at the top spot on the
Billboard pop music charts in the U.S., as well as No. 1 in 21 other countries. It became the first of nine Top 40 hits for Twitty. That same year, country singer Tabby West of ABC-TV's
Ozark JubileeOzark Jubilee is the first U.S. network television program to feature country music's top stars, and was the centerpiece of a strategy for Springfield, Missouri to challenge Nashville, Tennessee as America's country music capital...
heard Twitty and he was booked to appear on the show.
For a brief period, some believed he was Elvis Presley recording under a different name. This was largely the case with "It's Only Make Believe". Twitty would go on to enjoy rock and roll success with songs including "
Danny Boy-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" (pop No. 10) and "Lonely Blue Boy" (pop No. 6). "Lonely Blue Boy", originally titled "Danny", was recorded by Presley for the film
King CreoleKing Creole is a 1958 American film directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Hal B. Wallis. The story was adapted from the Harold Robbins novel A Stone for Danny Fisher and featured Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, and Walter Matthau. The film tells the story of a nineteen-year-old who gets mixed...
but was not used in the soundtrack.
In 1960, he appeared in three feature films,
College Confidential,
Sex Kittens Go to College and
Platinum High School.
Country music career
Twitty always wanted to record country music and—beginning in 1965—he did just that. His first few country albums were met with some country DJs refusing to play them because he was known as a rock-n-roll singer. However, he finally broke free with his first top five country hit, "The Image of Me", in July 1968, ensued by his first number one country song, "
Next In Line"Next in Line" is a 1968 single written by Wayne Kemp and Curtis Wayne and recorded by Conway Twitty. "Next in Line" was Conway Twitty's sixth entry to make the country charts and his first of 40 number ones on the country charts. The single spent a single week at number one and spent a total of...
", in November 1968. Few of his singles beginning in 1968 ranked below the top 5.
In 1970, Twitty recorded and released his biggest hit ever, "
Hello Darlin'"Hello Darlin'" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist, Conway Twitty. The song was originally released in March 1970 and became Twitty's fourth No. 1 song on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart that summer. The song spent four weeks atop the...
" (which spent four weeks at the top of the country chart). In 1971 he released his first hit duet with
Loretta LynnLoretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
, "
After the Fire Is Gone"After the Fire Is Gone" is a 1971 duet single by Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty and written by L.E. White as the only single released from the LP, We Only Make Believe. "After the Fire Is Gone" was the first number one on the U.S. country chart for Lynn and Twitty as a duo. It spent two weeks at...
". It was a success, and many more followed, including "
Lead Me On"Lead Me On" is a 1971 duet single by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn and written by Leon Copeland. "Lead Me On" was the second number one on the U.S. country singles chart for the pair as a duo. The single stayed at number one for a single week and spent a total of 15 weeks on the chart.-Chart...
" (1971), "
Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man"Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" is the title of a song, recorded as duet by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. The song was written by Becki Bluefield and Jim Owen. "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" was the title track of the 1973 album by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn and the single was their...
" (1973), "
As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone"As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone" is a 1974 single by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn from the album Country Partners. It was the fourth number one on the U.S. country singles chart for the pair as a duo...
" (1974), "
Feelins'"Feelins" is a 1975 duet single by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn and written by Troy Seals, Will Jennings, and Don Goodman. "Feelins'" was the fifth and final number one for the duo of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of 13 weeks on...
" (1975), "I Still Believe In Waltzes", "
I Can't Love You Enough"I Can't Love You Enough" is a single by American country music artists Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. Released in May 1977, it was the first single from their album Dynamic Duo. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country...
" and many others. Together, Conway and Loretta (as they were known in their act), won four consecutive
Country Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards for vocal duo (1972–75) and a host of other duo and duet awards from other organizations throughout the 1970s.
In 1973, Twitty released "
You've Never Been This Far Before"You've Never Been This Far Before" is a 1973 single written and recorded by Conway Twitty. "You've Never Been This Far Before" was Twitty's 10th number one on the country chart as a solo artist...
", which was not only No. 1 in country for three weeks that September but also reached No. 22 on the pop charts. Some disc jockeys refused to play the song because of its suggestive lyrics.
In 1978 he issued the single "The Grandest Lady of Them All" honoring the Grand Ole Opry, but for the first time since 1967, a single of his failed to reach top-10 status as some radio stations refused to play a song honoring the property of a competitor (broadcast by WSM-AM). Nevertheless, the single reached the top 20 but it peaked well below expectations, and this set in motion the changes that were to take place in his career, including a new hairstyle, changing from the slicked-back
pompadourPompadour is a tall style of men's haircut which takes its name from Madame de Pompadour.There are Latin variants of the hair style more associated with European and Argentine tango fashion trends and occasionally with late 20th century musical genres such as rockabilly and country.The pompadour...
style to the curlier style he would keep the rest of his life.
In 1985, going by all weekly music trade charts, the song "
Don't Call Him a Cowboy"Don't Call Him a Cowboy" is a 1985 single written by Debbie Hupp, Johnny MacRae, and Bob Morrison and recorded by Conway Twitty. "Don't Call Him a Cowboy" was Conway Twitty's 34th number one single on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of 13 weeks on...
" became the 50th single of his career to achieve a No. 1 ranking. He would have five more through 1990, giving him a total of 55 number 1 hits.
George StraitGeorge Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
eclipsed the feat of 50 number 1 hits in 2002 with his single "
She'll Leave You With a Smile"She'll Leave You with a Smile" is the title of a song written by Odie Blackmon and Jay Knowles, and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in September 2002 as the last single from his 2001 album The Road Less Traveled. It was his 38th Number One hit on the...
" and then reached No. 1 for the 56th time in 2007 with the single "Wrapped".
Throughout much of his country music career his home was Decca Records, later re-named
MCAMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. He signed with the label in late 1965 but left in 1981 when it appeared Decca was marketing and promoting newer acts, plus management at the label had changed and other factors brought on the decision. He joined Elektra/Asylum in 1982. That label merged with its
parent companyA parent company is a company that owns enough voting stock in another firm to control management and operations by influencing or electing its board of directors; the second company being deemed as a subsidiary of the parent company...
,
Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in 1983. He stayed on with Warner Bros. Records through early 1987 but then went back to MCA to finish out his career. In 1990, shortly before he died, he recorded a new album,
Final Touches.
Twitty City
Twitty lived for many years in
Hendersonville, TennesseeHendersonville is a city in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, on Old Hickory Lake. The population was 51,372 at the 2010 census. Hendersonville is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located 18 miles northeast of downtown Nashville. The city was settled around 1784 by...
, just north of
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, where he built a country music entertainment complex called
Twitty CityTrinity Music City, formerly Twitty City,is an entertainment complex in Hendersonville, Tennessee. It was the home of singer Conway Twitty until his death in 1993...
. The address was 1 Country Music Blvd. Its lavish displays of Christmas lights were a famous local sight. Conway Twitty and Twitty City were once featured on the TV series
Lifestyles of the Rich and FamousLifestyles of the Rich and Famous is a television series that aired in syndication from 1984 to 1995. The show featured the extravagant lifestyles of wealthy entertainers, athletes and business moguls....
. Twitty City was also seen in the Nashville episode of the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series
Entertainment USA, presented by
Jonathan KingJonathan King is an English singer, songwriter, impresario and record producer. He is also the author of three novels, Bible Two and The Booker Prize Winner , and Beware the Monkey Man , and an autobiography, 65 My Life So Far .King first came to prominence as an...
. A popular tourist stop throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s, it was shut down in 1994 following a year-long tribute show called Final Touches, when fans and peers in the music business dropped by. The complex was auctioned off and bought by the
Trinity Broadcasting NetworkThe Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
for its religious programs.
Death
Twitty became ill while performing in
Branson, MissouriBranson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
, and was in pain while he was on the tour bus. He died in
Springfield, MissouriSpringfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, at Cox South Hospital from an
abdominal aortic aneurysmAbdominal aortic aneurysm is a localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta exceeding the normal diameter by more than 50 percent, and is the most common form of aortic aneurysm...
. He died two months before the release of what would be his final studio album,
Final Touches. He had died four months before the release of
George JonesGeorge Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
's album
High-Tech Redneck, which featured a cover of
Hello Darlin'"Hello Darlin'" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist, Conway Twitty. The song was originally released in March 1970 and became Twitty's fourth No. 1 song on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart that summer. The song spent four weeks atop the...
Posthumous releases
Since his death, Twitty's son Michael and grandson Tre have been carrying on the legacy of his music. His most recent chart appearance on the country charts was a duet with
Anita CochranAnita Renee Cockerham , known professionally as Anita Cochran, is an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. Signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1997, she made her debut on the U.S. country charts that year with the release of her first album Back to You...
, "I Want to Hear A Cheating Song" (2004), which was made possible due to the availability of the original multi-track session tapes of his version of the song, recorded in the early 1980s. As a result, Twitty's isolated vocal track was electronically lifted off the session master, transferred to a digital multi-track and digitally re-assembled into the new performance.
Similar to the electronic duets of
Patsy ClinePatsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
and
Jim ReevesJames Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
, Hank Williams Jr. and Hank Williams Sr. or
Nat King ColeNathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
and
Natalie ColeNatalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
, Anita Cochran added her vocal to the already-produced backing tracks along with Twitty's reconstructed vocal.
Taxes
Twitty's success in country music was a key factor in his winning a 1983 case,
Harold L. Jenkins (a/k/a Howard Twitty) v. Commissioner in
United States Tax CourtThe United States Tax Court is a federal trial court of record established by Congress under Article I of the U.S. Constitution, section 8 of which provides that the Congress has the power to "constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court"...
. The
Internal Revenue ServiceThe Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
denied Twitty's attempt to
deductIncome tax systems generally allow a tax deduction, i.e., a reduction of the income subject to tax, for various items, especially expenses incurred to produce income. Often these deductions are subject to limitations or conditions...
from his taxes, as an "ordinary and necessary" business expense, payments he had made in order to repay investors in a defunct fast-food chain called Twitty Burger. The chain went under in 1971. The general rule is that the payment of someone else's debts is not deductible. Twitty alleged that his primary motive was "protecting his personal business reputation." The court opinion contained testimony from Twitty about his bond with country music fans.
Estate
Twitty married three times. His widow, Dee Henry Jenkins, and his four grown children from the previous marriages, Michael, Joni, Kathy and Jimmy Jenkins, engaged in a public dispute over the estate. Twitty's will had not been updated to account for the third marriage, but Tennessee law reserves one third of any estate to the widow. After years of probate, the four children received the rights to Twitty's music, name and image. The rest of the estate went to
public auctionA public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
, where much of the property and memorabilia was sold after his widow rejected the appraised value.
In 2008, controversy again erupted in his family when the four remaining children sued
Sony/ATV Music PublishingSony/ATV Music Publishing is a music publishing company co-owned by The Michael Jackson Family Trust and Sony. The organisation was originally founded as Associated TeleVision in 1955 by Lew Grade. In 1957, ATV acquired Pye Records as a wholly owned subsidiary...
over an agreement that Twitty and his family signed in 1990. The suit alleged that the terms of the agreement were not fully understood by the children, although they were all adults at the time. It sought to recover copyrights and royalty revenue that the document assigned to the company.
55 Number Ones
Twitty was the only singer to have 55 number one hits in his career, until
George StraitGeorge Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
in 2006. Conway's final number one was
Desperado Love"Desperado Love" is a 1986 single written by Michael Garvin and Sammy Johns and recorded by Conway Twitty. "Desperado Love" was Conway Twitty's 35th and final number one country hit as a solo artist...
. His first was
It's Only Make Believe"It's Only Make Believe" is the title of a song written by Jack Nance and American country music artist Conway Twitty, released by Twitty as a single in July 1958. The single topped both U.S...
, in 1958. He is best known for his song
Hello Darlin'Hello Darlin may refer to:*Hello Darlin , an album by Conway Twitty*Hello Darlin , a single from this album...
Awards
Academy of Country MusicThe Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
- 1971 Top Vocal Duo
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
with Loretta LynnLoretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
- 1974 Top Vocal Duo
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
with Loretta Lynn
- 1975 Album of the Year
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
with Loretta Lynn - Feelin's
- 1975 Top Male Vocalist
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
- 1975 Top Vocal Duo
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
with Loretta Lynn
- 1976 Top Vocal Duo
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
with Loretta Lynn
Country Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
- 1972 Vocal Duo of the Year
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
with Loretta Lynn
- 1973 Vocal Duo of the Year
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
with Loretta Lynn
- 1974 Vocal Duo of the Year
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
with Loretta Lynn
- 1975 Vocal Duo of the Year
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
with Loretta Lynn
Country Music Hall of Fame and MuseumThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum identifies and preserves the evolving history and traditions of country music and educates its audiences...
- Inducted in 1999
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum identifies and preserves the evolving history and traditions of country music and educates its audiences...
Delta Music Museum Hall of FameThe Delta Music Museum is a museum located in Ferriday, Louisiana. It offers exhibits on sixteen rock and roll and blues musicians from the Mississippi River delta country. The museum opened with a grant from the State of Louisiana and is operated by local volunteers. There is no admission charge;...
Grammy Awards
- 1971 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded from 1970 to 2011. The award has had several minor name changes:*In 1970 the award was known as Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group...
with Loretta Lynn - "After the Fire is Gone"
- 1999 Hall of Fame Award
The Grammy Hall of Fame Award is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance"...
- "Hello Darlin'"Hello Darlin'" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist, Conway Twitty. The song was originally released in March 1970 and became Twitty's fourth No. 1 song on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart that summer. The song spent four weeks atop the...
"
Rockabilly Hall of FameThe Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on the internet on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities involved in this pioneering American music genre....
Covers
While Twitty was known to cover songs—most notably "
Slow HandSlow Hand is a ballad written by John Bettis and Michael Clark and recorded by the Pointer Sisters. It was first released in the spring of 1981 as the advance single for Black & White.-Background/ Impact:...
" which was a major pop hit for the Pointer Sisters, "
The Rose"The Rose" is a pop song written by Amanda McBroom and made famous by Bette Midler, who performed it in the 1979 movie, The Rose. Since then it has been covered by a variety of artists.-Bette Midler version:...
" which was a major pop hit for
Bette MidlerBette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
, and "
Heartache Tonight"Heartache Tonight" was revived four years later in a cover version by country music artist Conway Twitty. Released as the second single from his Lost in the Feeling album, Twitty's version reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in the fall of 1983.Twitty's version featured the...
" which was a major pop hit for The Eagles; Twitty's songs have also been covered numerous times, including four notable covers,
George JonesGeorge Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
' rendition of "Hello Darlin",
Blake SheltonBlake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
's "
Goodbye Time"Goodbye Time" is the title of a song recorded by American country music singer Conway Twitty. It was released in February 1988 as the first single from Twitty's 1988 album Still in Your Dreams. The song reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.In 2004, a cover was recorded by...
", The Misfits and
Glen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
versions of "
It's Only Make Believe"It's Only Make Believe" is the title of a song written by Jack Nance and American country music artist Conway Twitty, released by Twitty as a single in July 1958. The single topped both U.S...
" and Elvis Presley's version of "
There's a Honky Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me Back In)"There's a Honky Tonk Angel " is a 1974 single written by Troy Seals and Denny Rice and recorded by Conway Twitty. The single was Twitty's 10th number one on the U.S. country singles chart as a solo artist and 13th overall...
". In addition, Ken Checker's version of "
I'd Love to Lay You Down"I'd Love to Lay You Down" is a 1980 single written by Johnny MacRae and recorded by Conway Twitty. "I'd Love to Lay You Down" was Conway Twitty's 24th number one on the country chart...
" was sung and received some airplay, mostly in the concert realm.
Some artists have had hits with songs that Twitty recorded but never released as singles. Among these are:
The Oak Ridge BoysThe Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
's top-5 hit, "I Wish You Could Have Turned My Head (And Left My Heart Alone)," originally from Conway's 1979 "Crosswinds" release,
Steve WarinerSteven Noel "Steve" Wariner is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has released eighteen studio albums, including six on MCA Records, and three each on RCA Records, Arista Records and Capitol Records...
's "
I'm Already Taken"I'm Already Taken" is a song co-written and recorded by country music artist Steve Wariner. It was originally released in 1978 as his debut single, peaking at #63 on the U.S. Billboard country singles charts. In 1999, Wariner re-recorded the song for his album Two Teardrops...
" from Twitty's 1981 album
Mr. TMr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
(which Wariner wrote),
Lee GreenwoodMelvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts....
's "It Turns Me Inside Out" from Twittty's 1982 album
Southern ComfortSouthern Comfort is an American liqueur made from neutral spirits with fruit, spice and whiskey flavourings. The brand was originally created by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in New Orleans in 1874, and is now owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation...
,
John ConleeJohn Conlee is an American country music singer. Between 1978 and 2004, Conlee charted a total of thirty-two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recorded eleven studio albums...
's "
In My Eyes"In My Eyes" is a 1983 single by John Conlee. "In My Eyes" was John Conlee's fifth number one on the country chart and was written by Barbara Wyrick. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the country chart....
" from Twitty's 1982 album
Dream Maker,
John SchneiderJohn Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
's "What's a Memory Like You (Doin' in a Love Like This?)" from Twitty's 1985 album
Chasin' Rainbows, and
Daryle SingletaryDaryle Bruce Singletary is an American country music singer. Between 1995 and 1998, he recorded for Giant Records, for which he released three studio albums: Daryle Singletary in 1995, All Because of You in 1996 and Ain't It the Truth in 1998...
's "
The NoteAin't It the Truth is the third studio album by American country music singer Daryle Singletary. It was released in 1998 via Giant Records. It was led off by the single "The Note" , which peaked at #28 on the country singles charts that year...
" and
Ricky Van SheltonRicky Van Shelton is a currently retired American country music artist. Active between 1986 and 2006, he has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
's "
Somebody Lied"Somebody Lied" is a country music song written by Joe Chambers and Larry Jenkins. First recorded by Conway Twitty on his 1985 album Don't Call Him a Cowboy, it was later recorded by American country music singer Ricky Van Shelton...
" from Twitty's 1985 album
Don't Call Him a Cowboy"Don't Call Him a Cowboy" is a 1985 single written by Debbie Hupp, Johnny MacRae, and Bob Morrison and recorded by Conway Twitty. "Don't Call Him a Cowboy" was Conway Twitty's 34th number one single on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of 13 weeks on...
.
Popular culture
Live action footage of Twitty has been featured many times as a
running gagA running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
on the Fox animated TV series
Family GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. In the show, one of the characters (usually
Peter GriffinPeter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
) claims they need a distraction and turns to the camera and says "Ladies and gentlemen... Mr. Conway Twitty," followed by a portion of actual, live-action footage from one of Twitty's many television performances in which he sings "Hello Darling". When this same joke was used in the episode "
The Juice Is Loose," the entirety of Twitty performing "
I See the Want To in Your Eyes"I See the Want To in Your Eyes" is a 1974 single written by Mischa Scorer and Wayne Carson, recorded by Conway Twitty. "I See the Want To in Your Eyes" would be Conway Twitty's 11th number one on the country chart...
" was shown. In the straight to DVD release
It's a Trap!, at the end of a scene in which
Luke SkywalkerLuke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
, played by Chris, informs Leia, played by Lois, that she is his sister; Leia addresses the audience and says "Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Darth Twitty" and cuts to Twitty performing with a Darth Vader helmet digitally superimposed on his head.
The antagonist of the 1993
LucasArtsLucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
videogame
Sam & Max Hit the RoadSam & Max Hit the Road is a graphic adventure computer game released by LucasArts during the company's adventure games era. The game was originally released for DOS in 1993 and for Mac OS in 1995. A 2002 re-release included compatibility with Windows and Amiga...
is named Conroy Bumpus, and his name, appearance and background are meant to resemble that of Twitty.
The fictional character "Conrad Birdie" in the musical and movie
Bye Bye BirdieBye Bye Birdie is a stage musical with a book by Michael Stewart, lyrics by Lee Adams, and music by Charles Strouse.Originally titled Let's Go Steady, the satire on American society is set in 1958. The story was inspired by the phenomenon of popular singer Elvis Presley and his draft notice into...
is said to be a composite of Conway Twitty and Elvis Presley. The part was written with Twitty in mind but, after deciding to concentrate on music rather than film or theatre, he declined the role.
External links