This month in 1966 Conway Twitty recorded what was to become his first country chart song – "Guess My Eyes were Bigger than My Heart." The song was written by Liz Anderson and entered the country music charts March 25, 1966 and peaked at No. 18. It was the first of 98 songs he would place on the charts through 2004 – including 40 No. 1s. Nine of those 98 country charts songs would also score on the pop music charts.
Also this month in 1971, Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn recorded what was to become their first No. 1 as a duet team. Their single "After The Fire Is Gone" came on the charts Feb. 6, 1971 - made it to the top of the list and was there for two weeks.
Conway Twitty was one of the very few artists to score several firsts during his lifetime – including being the son of a Mississippi riverboat captain – the first 12-year-old to have a radio show on KFFA Radio in Helena, Arkansas. He became a talented baseball player who was scouted by several major league teams but was drafted into The armed forces and after discharge – he went to Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where he recorded several tracks which were never released because Sam Phillips thought they sounded like imitations of Elvis Presley.
He then signed to record for Mercury Records, during which time Harold Jenkins (his birth name) became Conway Twitty – a name he took from Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas.
He later signed to record for MGM Records and during a concert break he and band member Jack Nance wrote a song titled "It's Only Make Believe" which became a No. 1 on the pop music charts in 1958 but did not score on the country charts.
During all this time Conway was writing songs and scored a hit for Ray Price with "Walk Me To The Door," which peaked inside the Top 10 in 1963.
Conway was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1999.
Conway Twitty died suddenly of a stomach aneurysm while on the road in 1993.
He was 59 years old.
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