Remembering Conway Twitty - Hall Of Fame Feature

This week we spotlight Conway Twitty on the Saturday Morning Hall of Fame Classic Country Show. The ‘Hall of Fame’ is heard Saturday 6-10am on Big Country 104.9 (Albany, NY), 97.9 (Glens Falls, NY) and on-line at www.bigcountrylegends.com.

This weekend in 1993 (June 5), Conway Twitty had just finished a show in Branson, Mo. and was headed to Nashville to meet his followers at Fan Fair (now known as CMA Music Festival).  Sadly, Conway never made it back to Fan Fair, or his fan fun-park Twitty City, he died of an abdominal aneurysm at the young age of 59. 

We have several singers in Today’s Country Music Business that have crossed over from Rock and Pop careers. Most artists find them selves making a brief ‘cameo’ in Country Music, with just a few singles making it to the charts. However, Conway was one of the few singers to successfully crossover from a career in Rock and Roll into Country Music; with a decades long full-time career dedicated to Country Music.  The former teenage ‘Rock and Roller’ would even hold the record for the most Number One Country Records, until George Strait came along.  

Ironically, the Country Music legend never won a CMA Award for any of his solo work, but did capture Four CMA Vocal Duo of the Year awards for his work with Loretta Lynn, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Conway had a distinctive low ‘growling’ voice that filled Country Radio with stand out hits like ‘Tight Fittin’ Jeans’ ‘I’d Love To Lay You Down’ ‘Hello Darlin’’ ‘Don’t Take It Away’ and ‘That’s My Job.’  In addition, he had a great streak covering Rock and Pop songs, and turning them into major Country hits.  For example, Conway ‘Countrified’ these familiar singles and made them sound like original Country Hits: ‘Slow Hand’ by The Pointer Sisters, ‘The Rose’ by Bette Midler, ’Three Times A Lady’ by The Commodores, ‘Heartache Tonight’ by the Eagles and ‘Rest Your Love On Me’ by the Bee Gees.

We hope you enjoy Conway’s Classics on Saturday Morning.  Below you’ll find some samples of songs that came along at the end of his career- as his voice got even better (if possible). Check out ‘Rainy Night In Georgia’ ‘Crazy In Love’ and ‘Who Did They Think He Was’ - some of the hidden gems from the legendary career of Conway Twitty.

Fun Facts:

Conway almost landed a professional baseball career with an offer from the Philadelphia Phillies, but he was drafted in the Korean War. Conway eventually co-owned the Nashville Sounds Baseball Team.

Conway’s hit song ‘Goodbye Time’ was covered by Blake Shelton.

Conway opened a mini-theme park called ‘Twitty City’.

Naomi Judd, working as a model early in her career, appeared on the cover of Conway’s album ‘Lost In The Feeling’. 

Conway was known as ‘The Best Friend A Song Ever Had’!

Next: 

Remembering Dottie West

Remembering Tammy Wynette

Remembering Kenny Rogers