Conway Twitty: Country Music Legend
After his discharge from the Army Conway pursued a music career, Conway Twitty started out singing Rock & Roll. He headed to Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee and worked with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and many others. In 1957 Conway decided to change his name. He looked at a map and selected Conway, Arkansas and Twitty, Texas.
In 1958 Conway Twitty joined MGM records. He had almost given up all hope for his music career when a D.J in Ohio delivered the news that the flip side from his single “I’ll Try” which also had the song “It’s Only Make Believe” and this song was starting to catch on. The song “It’s Only Make Believe” gradually caught on and for a brief period some believed the song was actually a Elvis Presley recording under a different name. The song went onto sell over 8 million records. Conway Twitty enjoyed Rock & Roll success with other songs also such as Danny Boy and Lonely Boy Blue.
Conway had always wanted to sing country music though, and in 1965 he did just that. His first number one country song was in 1968 and the song was “Next in Line”. In 1970 Conway Twitty recorded and released his signature song “Hello Darlin”.
In 1970 a duet that most feel was the best country duet ever formed when Conway Twitty joined Loretta Lynn for their first duet “After the fire is Gone”. Other songs by Conway and Loretta included “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man”, “As Soon as I Hang up the Phone”, “You’re the Reason Our Kids are Ugly” and “Feelings”. Together they won four consecutive Country Music Association Awards for vocal duo from 1972-1975.
In 1973 Conway Twitty released a song that some disc jockeys refused to play because of suggestive lyrics this song was “You’ve Never Been This Far before”. Conway Twitty had 55 #1 hits and numerous top 10 hits. Conway’s last album was in 1993. The albums title was “Final Touches.” Shortly after its release Conway became ill while performing in Branson, Missouri and died from an abnormal Aneurysm.
In 1999 Conway Twitty was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. And in 2004 even though Conway Twitty had passed away in 1993 he still ended up back on the music charts with a song called ” I Wanna Hear a Cheatin Song.” It was released as a duet with Anita Cochran. Conway Twitty’s voice was electronically created and based on one of his hits from the 80’s.
