Conway Twitty

Conway Twitty
1974 promotional photo
1974 promotional photo
Background information
Birth nameHarold Lloyd Jenkins[1]
Also known as"The High Priest of Country Music"
Born(1933-09-01)September 1, 1933
Friars Point, Mississippi, U.S.
OriginHelena, Arkansas, U.S.
DiedJune 5, 1993(1993-06-05) (aged 59)
Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Genres
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1955–1993
LabelsMCA, Elektra, MGM, Decca, Sun Records, Warner Bros. Records

Harold Lloyd Jenkins (September 1, 1933 – June 5, 1993), better known by his stage name Conway Twitty, was an American singer and songwriter. Initially a part of the 1950s rockabilly scene, Twitty was best known as a country music performer. From 1971 to 1976, Twitty received a string of Country Music Association awards for duets with Loretta Lynn. He was inducted into both the Country Music and Rockabilly Halls of Fame.

Twitty was known for his frequent use of romantic and sentimental themes in his songs. Due to his following being compared to a religious revival, comedian Jerry Clower nicknamed Twitty "The High Priest of Country Music", the eventual title of his 33rd studio album. Twitty achieved stardom with hit songs like "Hello Darlin'", "You've Never Been This Far Before" and "Linda on My Mind". Twitty topped Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart 40 times in his career, a record that stood for two decades until it was surpassed by George Strait, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart once with "It's Only Make Believe". He wrote eleven of his Billboard Hot Country Songs chart-topping hits.[3]

  1. ^ Fox, Courtney (September 2, 2019). "8 Things You Didn't Know About Conway Twitty". WideOpenCountry.com. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Koda, Cub. "The Rock 'N' Roll Years Review". AllMusic. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  3. ^ "Conway Twitty". Country Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 8, 2022.