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Introduction
Conway Twitty, Legendary Country Star, Dies at 59 on Tour
Conway Twitty, the celebrated country and western singer whose rich, throaty voice brought life to countless love ballads over four decades, died yesterday at Cox Medical Center in Springfield, Missouri. He was 59.
Hospital officials reported that Twitty, whose real name was Harold Jenkins, passed away from a ruptured blood vessel in his stomach. He collapsed on Friday night on his tour bus following a performance in nearby Branson, Missouri.
Twitty’s stage name was inspired by a serendipitous glance at a map, which revealed the towns of Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas. He began his career in the 1950s as a rock-and-roll singer, achieving gold status with Lonely Blue Boy. His biggest pop hit, It’s Only Make Believe, topped the charts in 1958 and eventually sold over eight million copies worldwide.
Over his career, Twitty amassed more than 50 No. 1 songs on the country charts, specializing in ballads of lost love. Iconic hits included Tight Fittin’ Jeans, Hello Darlin’, and After All the Good is Gone. In the early 1970s, he teamed with Loretta Lynn for a string of successful duets, such as Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man and After the Fire is Gone, winning a Grammy in 1971. Twitty released an album roughly every eight months, a testament to his relentless work ethic.
Robert Palmer of The New York Times once described Twitty as having “one of the richest male voices in the country idiom, with distinctive bluesy colorations and a throaty purr.” Twitty himself explained, “I like a song that says things a man wants to say and doesn’t know how to say it.”
Roots in Mississippi
Born in Friars Point, Mississippi, Twitty’s early life was steeped in music. His father, a ferry captain, played a few guitar chords, and his grandfather gifted him a ukulele at age four. Twitty recalled spending hours listening to country songs from a tavern jukebox or sitting outside a local church, absorbing the music that would shape his career. By age ten, he had his own country band and a radio show in Helena, Mississippi.
Twitty briefly pursued a baseball career, playing high school and semi-professional ball well enough to attract interest from the Philadelphia Phillies. However, a 1954 draft notice intervened. Sports remained a lifelong passion, and he later became part owner of the minor league Nashville Sounds.
The Elvis Influence and Rock-to-Country Transition
After leaving the Army, Twitty was inspired by an early Elvis Presley record, recognizing the potential in blending musical styles. He formed the Rock Housers, later renamed the Twitty Birds, performing Southern rockabilly across the U.S. and Canada. By 1958, he had returned home to Helena, Arkansas, and recorded It’s Only Make Believe, which initially struggled until a Columbus, Ohio, DJ played the song repeatedly, sparking its breakout success.
Twitty appeared on popular shows including Perry Como, Dick Clark, and Arthur Godfrey, bridging the gap between pop and country. Reflecting on his career, he said, “A lot of country artists try to cross over to the pop charts, but I’ve already been on the other side of the fence, and I like the side I’m on.”
Family and Legacy
Conway Twitty is survived by his wife, Dee; mother, Velma Jenkins; two daughters, Joni and Kathy; and two sons, Jimmy and Michael. The family resides in Hendersonville, Tennessee, near Nashville, at Twitty City. His remarkable career, marked by a unique voice, unforgettable ballads, and a tireless dedication to music, has left an indelible mark on country music history.