Conway Twitty

American country and rockabilly singer-songwriter

• Born: September 1, 1933
• Birthplace: Friars Point, Mississippi
• Died: June 5, 1993
• Place of death: Springfield, Missouri

During a career that spanned several decades, Twitty established himself as one of the most successful and durable stars of country music. With his emotional and sensual approach to singing, he helped to bring adult issues to country music. As a highly charismatic figure, he is remembered not only for his musical diversity and brilliance as a songwriter but also for his sensitivity as an entertainer.

The Life

Conway Twitty was born Harold Lloyd Jenkins to Floyd Jenkins and Velma McGinnis Jenkins on September 1, 1933, in Friars Point, Mississippi. He was given the name “Harold Lloyd” in honor of the silent film star of the same name. In addition to being a cotton farmer, his father was the captain of a small ferryboat that carried passengers across the Mississippi River from Friars Point to Helena, Arkansas.

As a young child, Twitty was taught by his father to play the guitar. He loved listening to country music on the jukebox and to gospel music that he heard from a local black church. The family moved to Helena, Arkansas, when he was ten. He became so good on the guitar that by the time of the move to Helena Twitty had begun appearing on local radio stations. At this time, he formed his first band, the Phillips County Ramblers. The family was very poor, and young Twitty had to work in order to help purchase clothes for his sister and brother. By the age of twelve, he was playing on a weekly radio show on KFFA in Helena. In addition to music, Twitty proved himself to be an excellent baseball player in high school. He was so good at baseball that the Philadelphia Phillies offered to sign him to a contract after he had graduated from high school.

In 1954, Twitty was drafted into the United States Army. While stationed in Japan, he played on an Army baseball team and formed a band, the Cimmarons. He remained in the Army from 1954 to 1956. During his time in the military, Elvis Presley burst onto the music scene and became a monumental phenomenon. Twitty also became caught up in the rockabilly style that had been popularized by Presley and Carl Perkins. Twitty returned to the United States in 1956. While he could have signed with the Phillies to play professional baseball, he decided that he would rather become a professional musician. He would have one of the most extraordinary music careers in the history of popular music.

During his lifetime, Twitty was married three times. He was married to Ellen Matthews from 1953 to 1954. From 1955 to 1985, he was married to Temple Maxine Jaco Medley; they had three children. In 1987, Twitty married Dolores Virginia Henry. Tragically, he died in 1993 as a result of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The Music

After being discharged from the Army in 1956, Twitty was signed with Sun Records by the legendary figure Sam Phillips. Although Twitty recorded several songs for Sun Records, none of them was released. Elvis Presley also recorded for Sun Records, and Twitty attempted to work in his rockabilly style.

Creating a Rock Persona. At this point in time, the persona of Conway Twitty had not been created. He recorded as Harold Jenkins, but he did not have the success that he had envisioned. He came to the conclusion that, in order to become a rock star, he needed the right professional name. After looking at a map of the United States, he picked the town of Conway, Arkansas, and the town of Twitty, Texas, to form his new name. With this, Conway Twitty was born.

Twitty’s band was given the name the Twitty Birds. In 1957, he signed with Mercury Records and began recording as Conway Twitty, releasing the song “I Need Your Lovin.” This was the only single that charted for him with Mercury, so he was released from the label.

In 1958, Twitty signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). He finally found the success that he desired with the release of the single “It’s Only Make Believe.” This single went to number one in many countries around the world and sold more than eight million copies. In the United States, “It’s Only Make Believe” went to number one on the pop, country, and blues singles charts. With this single, Twitty became a rockabilly star in his own right.

For the next few years, Twitty continued to release hit singles as a rock musician. Although he had become a successful rock musician, he was not totally satisfied with his achievements. During this period, he had been writing country songs for other recording stars. Not completely comfortable as a rock performer, by the mid-1960’s Twitty believed that it was time for him to be true to himself and become a country artist. After letting his contract with MGM expire, he signed with producer Owen Bradley of Decca Records as a country musician.

Going Country. In 1968, Twitty finally had his first number-one country single with “Next in Line.” This hit was merely the first of his amazing string of forty-two number-one hits on the Billboard country singles charts. As a wonderful songwriter in his own right, Twitty wrote nineteen of his number-one hits himself. Some of the most famous include “Hello Darlin’,” “Goodbye Time,” “You’ve Never Been This Far Before,” “Linda on My Mind,” and “Tight Fittin’ Jeans.” He also sang many duets with the legendary country artist Loretta Lynn. This partnership became highly successful; together, Twitty and Lynn recorded such country classics as “After the Fire Is Gone,” “Lead Me On,” and “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man.” At his concerts, Twitty was such a consummate entertainer that he earned the nickname the High Priest of Country Music. He was adored by thousands of female fans who considered seeing Twitty in concert to be almost a religious experience. By the 1980’s, he had broadened his approach to country music by including elements of rock music. Always an emotional singer, Twitty had a way of connecting with his audience that few performers could equal. With his deep, smooth voice, he was a natural at delivering a passionate ballad. He remained active into the early 1990’s with such Top 10 singles as “Crazy in Love” and “I Couldn’t See You Leavin’.”

Musical Legacy

During his illustrious career, Twitty had a total of fifty-five number-one singles on various music charts. As a songwriter, singer, producer, and entertainer, he was loved by millions of fans. He was honored with more than one hundred awards. His musical partnership with Loretta Lynn garnered several top-selling singles and awards. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. At the forty-third annual Academy of Country Music Awards in 2008, the late Conway Twitty was honored with the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award.

Principal Recordings

albums:Conway Twitty Sings, 1958; Saturday Night with Conway Twitty, 1959; Lonely Blue Boy, 1960; The Conway Twitty Touch, 1961; The Rock ’n’ Roll Story, 1961; Portrait of a Fool and Others, 1962; Hit the Road, 1964; Look into My Teardrops, 1966; Here’s Conway Twitty, 1968; Next in Line, 1968; Darling, You Know I Wouldn’t Lie, 1969; I Love You More Today, 1969; You Can’t Take Country out of Conway, 1969; Hello Darlin’, 1970; To See My Angel Cry, 1970; How Much More Can She Stand, 1971; I Wonder What She’ll Think About Me Leaving, 1971; Lead Me On, 1971 (with Loretta Lynn); We Only Make Believe, 1971 (with Lynn); Conway Twitty, 1972; Conway Twitty Sings the Blues, 1972; I Can’t See Me Without You, 1972; Shake It Up, 1972; Clinging to a Saving Hand, 1973; I Can’s Stop Loving You, 1973; She Needs Someone to Hold Her, 1973; Who Will Pray for Me, 1973; You’ve Never Been This Far Before, 1973; Country Partners, 1974 (with Lynn); Honky Tonk Angel, 1974; I’m Not Through Loving You Yet, 1974; Never Ending Song of Love, 1974; Feelin’s, 1975 (with Lynn); High Priest of Country Music, 1975; Linda on My Mind, 1975; Star Spangled Songs, 1975; This Time I’ve Hurt Her More, 1975; Now and Then, 1976; Twitty, 1976; United Talent, 1976 (with Lynn); Dynamic Duo, 1977 (with Lynn); I’ve Already Loved You in My Mind, 1977; Play, Guitar, Play, 1977; Conway, 1978; Conway Twitty Country, 1978; Georgia Keeps Pulling on My Ring, 1978; Honky Tonk Heroes, 1978 (with Lynn); Country Rock, 1979; Cross Winds, 1979; Diamond Duet, 1980 (with Lynn); Heart and Soul, 1980; Rest Your Love on Me, 1980; Mr. T., 1981; Two’s a Party, 1981 (with Lynn); Dream Maker, 1982; Southern Comfort, 1982; Lost in the Feeling, 1983; Merry Twismas, 1983; By Heart, 1984; Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, 1984 (with Lynn); Chasin’ Rainbows, 1985; Don’t Call Him a Cowboy, 1985; A Night with Conway Twitty, 1986; Fallin’ for You for Years, 1986; Borderline, 1987; Still in Your Dreams, 1988; House on Old Lonesome Road, 1989; Crazy in Love, 1990; Even Now, 1991; Country Gospel Greats, 1992 (with Lynn); Final Touches, 1993.

Bibliography

Cross, Wilbur, and Michael Kosser. The Conway Twitty Story: An Authorized Biography. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1986. A biography that concentrates on Twitty’s work ethic, which took him from an impoverished average guy to music legend.

Escott, Colin. The Conway Twitty Rock ’n Roll Years. Bremen, West Germany: Bear Family Records, 1985. A short yet solid account of Twitty’s career. Includes photographs and a discography by Richard Weige.

‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. “It’s Only Make Believe: Conway Twitty.” In All Roots Lead to Rock: Legends of Early Rock ’n’ Roll, a Bear Family Reader, edited by Colin Escott. New York: Schirmer Books, 1999. A critical essay on Twitty’s importance.

Wilson, Shirley. From Aaron Jenkins to Harold Jenkins: Conway Twitty’s Roots. Hendersonville, Tenn.: S. Wilson, 1985. A valuable examination of Twitty’s family history.