Conway twitty bio biography

-->

Musical Beginnings

Twitty’s musical career began as a rock ‘n’ roll singer. In 1958, Conway Twitty released his first hit, “It’s Only Make Believe.” In the song, Conway Twitty’s voice led many audiences to believe that it was actually Elvis Presley singing. Twitty had many other rock ‘n’ roll hits such as “Danny Boy” and “Lonely Blue Boy.”

Music and Country Career

“Hello Darlin’,” Twitty’s first, and biggest country song was released in 1970. His songs are known for the deep male voice which Twitty possessed. Throughout his career, he released over 50 songs that reached the top spot on the Country Music charts.  Twitty won 2 Grammy Awards in his storied career.  . His 55 No. 1 singles are an amazing feat in the annals of the recording industry. Twitty sold more than 50 million records, delivered thousands of live performances, and achieved over 100 major awards.   “Next In Line” became his first country No. 1.  Twitty performed three decades of country music including: “Hello Darlin’,” “Goodbye Time,” “You’ve Never Been This Far Before,” “Linda On My Mind,” “I’d Love To Lay You Down,” “Tight Fittin’ Jeans,” “That’s My Job.” Conway performed a duet with the top female vocalist of that time, Loretta Lynn and the duo became the most awarded male/female duet in history recording with songs like “After The Fire Is Gone,” “Lead Me On,” and “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man.

Check out Conway Twitty performing “Hello Darlin'” below!

Conway’s Hello Darlin’ Video

Family Life and Conway Twitty Children

Conway was married at the age of 20. However, the marriage only lasted a year. His first wife gave birth to his son, Michael. In 1956, he married Mickey Medley. Medley gave birth to 3 more children. The couple stayed together until 1984. 3 years later, Twitty married again. In 1987, Twitty married his 36-year-old office secretary, Delores “Dee” Henry, who became his widow in June of 1993.

Family: Married three times and had four children: Michael, Joni Lee, Kathy, and Jimmy.

Real Estate Ventures: Owned Twitty City in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a popular tourist destination.

Career Highlights

• Early Success in Rock ‘n’ Roll: Initially found fame in the rock ‘n’ roll genre with his 1958 hit “It’s Only Make Believe.”
• Country Music Transition: Transitioned to country music in the early 1960s, becoming one of the genre’s biggest stars.
• Number One Hits: Amassed an astounding 55 number-one hits on the country charts—a record at the time.  Only George Strait achieved more #1 hits with a total of 60 chart toppers.
• Signature Songs: Iconic hits include “Hello Darlin’,” “You’ve Never Been This Far Before,” and “Linda on My Mind.”
• Duets with Loretta Lynn: Formed a legendary partnership with Loretta Lynn, recording classics like “After the Fire Is Gone” and “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man.”
• Grammy Winner: Won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for “After the Fire Is Gone.”
• Chart Dominance: Had hits spanning five decades, showcasing his enduring appeal.

Awards and Honors

• Country Music Hall of Fame: Inducted posthumously in 1999.
• Music Awards: Won multiple Country Music Association (CMA) and Academy of Country Music (ACM) awards.
• Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: Received a star in 1999 for his contributions to the music industry.

Other Conway Twitty Fun Facts

• Stage Name Origin: The name “Conway Twitty” was inspired by Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas.
• Film Appearances: Made cameo appearances in films and TV shows, highlighting his widespread popularity.
• Cross-Genre Success: One of the few artists to top both the pop and country charts during his career.
• Unique Voice: His deep, smooth voice earned him the nickname “The High Priest of Country Music.”
• Innovative Marketing: Twitty was among the first country artists to open his own theme park, Twitty City.

Conway Twitty Death

Conway Twitty passed away in Springfield, Missouri, on June 5, 1993, after suffering an aneurysm. He is buried in Gallatin, Tennessee. He was survived by his wife and 4 children.

You can check out Conway Twitty’s website here.

Be sure to share this article with other Country music fans!

View Comments ()