Country-Pop & Conway Twitty

Conway Twitty was born in 1933, under the name of Harold Lloyd Jenkins.  He was born in Mississippi, but raised in Arkansas.  He began performing at the age of ten, with a small town band, Phillips Country Ramblers. At that time, music was but a  pass-time for the young artist; he dreamt of becoming a profesional baseball player.  Shortly after being offered a contract with the Phillies, Jenkins was drafted into the conscription of the Korean war.

While in Korea, he continued to perform for his fellow soldiers. After returning, his offer with the Philidelphia ball team remained, but Twitty decided to attempt a career in the music industry, and moved to Memphis to record with Sun Records, the same record label that both Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash began recording with. Originally, Twitty was interested in recording Pop-Rock songs; Sun Records saw great potential in the artist, however none of his songs were ever released.

In 1956, Twitty left Sun Records and joined the Rockablility tour.  He later joined MGM Records, having only one successful song, and sadly MGM dropped the artist.  Soon enough Twitty joined Decca Records and began to write and perform country music with Loretta Lynn.  This lead the artist to twelve top five hits within two years in the late 1970's.

Twitty's songs were of a slightly more sexually revealing genre, at the time, during the Country-Pop Era.  Unfortunately, the Era was as long as Twitty's career and with new artists, a new genre of country was created in the early 1990's; leading up to Conway Twitty's sudden death of an abdominal aneurysm in during the summer of 1993.

Despite a twenty year career from 1970-1987, Twitty had over 40 #1 songs.  His legend continues to live, with his songs being frequently played on country radio.

Conway Twitty's first hit song: Guess My Eyes Were Bigger Than My Heart

I personally find that Conway Twitty's story is really one for many to idolize, a veteran who returns from war and becomes a successful country singer, potentially following his dreams but also serving his country in the meantime.  He may have lived a slightly shorter life, but he lived it to its fullest as we students need to begin doing.  Its very difficult, while in school, to find time for one's self to participate in activities that we love, and Conway Twitty is an example of someone who managed being away for war and performing for his fellow soldiers, something that he loved, and probably one of his best life experiences.  Hopefully when I'm old and wrinkly I'll be able to look back and say "Yes, I enjoyed my working and school life because it wasn't all work and no play, I made the most of every possible moment I could, of course when I wasn't doing my homework for M.Noecker's English class!"

http://www.biography.com/people/conway-twitty-20965309