Conway Twitty
Induction Year: 1993
Birth Name: Conway - Harold Lloyd Jenkins Twitty
Birth Date: September 01, 1933
Place of Birth: Friars Point, MS
Deceased: June 04, 1993
Place of Death: Springfield, MO
Biography
Education:High School--Central High School (Helena, AR) (from 1952-1953)
Discography / Career Highlights
Career Milestones:
early 1940s--formed his own group, The Phillips County Ramblers, when he was 10 years old
early 1950s--joined service band the Cimmarons in Japan when he was in the Army
1956--entered the music scene playing rock 'n roll; "Born to Sing the Blues" first of 8 unreleased songs recorded on Sun label
1958--had his first #1 hit, "It's Only Make Believe"
1960--began writing country songs
1965--switched from pop to country music
1965--signed by Owen Bradley as a country recording artist on MCA/Decca
1970--received a Grammy nomination as songwriter of "Hello Darlin' (also received a nomination in the same category in 1971)
1975--moved from Oklahoma City to Nashville--opened Twitty City
1985--50th #1 hit released, "Don't Call Him a Cowboy"
1987--returned to MCA
1990--recorded and released his 55th #1 single, "Crazy In Love"; stayed on the charts for 5 months
1993--his last album, "Final Touches" released after his death
Awards:
1958--Cashbox\Most Promising Top Male Vocalist
1970--NSAI\Certificate of Outstanding Achievement
1970--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Country Song\Hello Darlin'
1970--Billboard\Country Award\Best Single\Hello Darlin'
1971--NARAS\Grammy\After the Fire Is Gone\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1971--ACM\Top Vocal Duet or Group\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1971--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1972--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1972--CMA\Vocal Duo of the Year\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1972--Billboard\Country Award\Best Overall Singles Artist MCA\Decca
1973--Billboard\Country Award\Best Overall Singles Artist
1973--Billboard\Country Award\Best Duo-Albums\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1973--Billboard\Country Award\Best Male Artist
1973--Billboard\Top Country Single\You've Never Been This Far Before
1973--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1973--CMA\Vocal Duo of the Year\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1974--Billboard\Country Award\Best Duo-Albums\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1974--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Male Artist/Vocalist
1974--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1974--American Music Awards\Favorite Country Duo\Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
1974--CMA\Vocal Duo of the Year\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1975--ACM\Album of the Year\Feelin's
1975--ACM\Male Vocalist of the Year
1975--ACM\Top Vocal Group\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1975--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Male Vocalist
1975--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Single\Linda On My Mind
1975--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1975--CMA\Vocal Duo of the Year\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1975--Billboard\Country Award\Best Duo or Group-Albums\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1975--Billboard\Country Award\Best Male Artist
1975--Billboard\Country Award\Best Duo\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1975--Tree International\Golden Tree Award (writer)\Don't Cry Joni, Touch the Hand, Linda On My Mind
1976--Tree International\Golden Tree Award (writer)\I Can't Believe She Gives It All To Me
1976--ACM\Top Vocal Group\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1976--American Music Awards\Favorite Country Duo\Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
1976--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Male Vocalist
1976--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1977--Tree International\Golden Tree Award (writer)\I've Already Loved You In My Mind
1977--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Male Vocalist
1977--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1977--American Music Awards\Favorite Country Duo\Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
1977--American Music Awards\Favorite Male Vocalist
1977--Billboard\Country Award\Singles Artist of the Year
1977--Billboard\Country Award\Best Duo or Group-Albums\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1977--Billboard\Country Award\Singles Male Artist of the Year
1977--Tree International\Million Airs Club Award\It's Only Make Believe
1977--BMI\Special Citation of Achievement For Over 1,000,000 Performances\It's Only Make Believe, (Lost Her Love) On Our Last Date, Hello Darlin'
1977--American Music Awards\Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group
1978--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\Male Artist of the Year
1978--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\#1 Duet\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1978--NSAI\Certificate in Honor of Creative Genius In Words and Music
1978--Tree International\Certificate of Achievement (writer)\It's Only Make Believe
1978--American Music Awards\Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group
1978--American Music Awards\Favorite Male Artist
1980--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\Duet of the Year\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1981--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\Duet of the Year\Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
1982--Billboard\Country Award\Top Male Artist
1982--Billboard\Country Award\Top Singles Artist
1983--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\TV Special of the Year\Conway Twitty on the Mississippi
1988--Music City News\Popularity Poll Award\Living Legend Award
Catalog Highlights:
"Hello Darlin'" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1970)
"(Lying Here With) Linda On My Mind" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1975)
"You've Never Been This Far Before" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1973)
"I Can't Believe She Gives It All To Me" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1976)
"I Can't See Me Without You" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1971)
"I've Already Loved You In My Mind" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1977)
"(Lost Her Love) On Our Last Date" - Co-writer: Floyd Cramer - Artists: Conway Twitty (1972)
"Baby's Gone" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1973)
"I'm Not Through Loving You Yet" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1974)
"The Letter" - Artists: Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn (1976)
"Play, Guitar Play" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1977)
"After All the Good Is Gone" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1976)
"The Games That Daddies Play" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1976)
"Touch The Hand of the Man" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1975)
"As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone" - Artists: Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn (1974)
"Don't Cry Joni" - Artists: Conway Twitty (1975)
Comments:
After high school, Twitty was offered a contract to play professional baseball with the Philadelphia Phillies, but before he could sign, he was drafted by the U.S. Army
Received 23 BMI performance awards, 8 ASCAP performance awards, and 20 SESAC performance awards
Received a Special Citation of Achievement Award from BMI for over 2,000,000 performances of "It's Only Make Believe"
Changed his name in 1957 (Conway from Conway, Arkansas; Twitty from Twitty, Texas)
In 1965 at Tony Mart's nightclub in Summer's Point, NJ, Twitty put down his guitar, walked off stage, and made his move into the "Country" arena.
