I remember seeing Conway Twitty (1933-1993) on the TV from back when I was a kid, with his scary open-collar shirts, rhinestones and '70s bling, and thought those performances had given me an understanding of the cheesier side of the countrypolitan scene. It wasn't until decades later that I really sat down and delved into Twitty's work, and discovered just how much richness, depth and soul was there. Twitty started his career as a late-1950s teen-pop/rock balladeer, building his reputation on the smash hit, "Make Believe"; he stayed in the teen scene for several years, but in the '60s switched to singing Nashville-style weepers... And man, was he good! His work from the early 1970s is particularly powerful, although his dozens of duets with Loretta Lynn are also the stuff of legend. Before he died, Twitty racked up a total of fifty-five Number One hits -- the all-time Country record until it was matched by George Strait in 2006. Twitty's daughter, Joni Lee, also recorded some stuff in the 'Seventies, but never quite summoned the same kind of mojo as her old man. Anyway, if you ever turned your nose up at those old Conway albums, you might want to give 'em another chance... There's some mighty fine music there!

Conway Twitty "...Sings" (MGM Records, 1958) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Saturday Night" (MGM Records, 1959) (LP)

Conway Twitty "A Rock And Roll Story" (MGM Records, 1960) (LP)

Conway Twitty "The Conway Twitty Touch" (MGM Records, 1961) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Portrait Of A Fool" (MGM Records, 1962) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Hit The Road" (MGM Records, 1964) (LP)

Conway Twitty "...Sings" (Decca Records, 1966) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Look Into My Teardrops" (Decca Records, 1967) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Conway Twitty Country" (Decca Records, 1966) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Here's Conway Twitty & His Lonely Blue Boys" (Decca Records, 1968) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Next In Line" (Decca Records, 1968) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie" (Decca Records, 1969) (LP)

Conway Twitty "I Love You More Today" (Decca Records, 1969) (LP)

Conway Twitty "To See My Angel Cry" (Decca Records, 1970) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Hello Darlin' " (Decca Records, 1970) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Fifteen Years Ago" (Decca Records, 1970) (LP)

Conway Twitty "How Much More Can She Stand" (Decca Records, 1971) (LP)

Conway Twitty "I Wonder What She'll Think About Me Leaving" (Decca Records, 1971) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "We Only Make Believe" (Decca Records, 1971) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Lead Me On" (Decca Records, 1972) (LP)

Conway Twitty "...Sings The Blues" (MGM Records, 1972) (LP)

Conway Twitty "I Can't See Me Without You" (Decca Records, 1972) (LP)

Conway Twitty "I Can't Stop Loving You" (Decca Records, 1972) (LP)

Conway Twitty "She Needs Someone To Hold Her" (MCA Records, 1973) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Clinging To A Saving Hand/Steal Away" (MCA Records, 1973) (LP)
Amazingly enough, this was Twitty's one and only country gospel record, and it has kind of a funny history. It came out in May of '73 and almost immediately was repackaged as a 10-song LP the same year, but with one song -- "Steal Away" -- omitted. My guess is that the switch from an 11-song to a 10-song playlist enabled the folks at MCA to reclassify it as a budget-line record, and sell it in more downscale venues -- truck-stops, drug stores, that kind of thing. Anyway, it's a great record if you like Christian country music, and a rare chance to hear that '70s swinger, Conway Twitty, singing religious material. The full-length, eleven-song, album was reissued on CD as The Gospel Spirit (which is what I've linked to here...) The shorter, 10-song version, Who Will Pray For Me, also came out on CD, and is included below.

Conway Twitty "Who Will Pray For Me?" (MCA Records, 1973)

Conway Twitty "You've Never Been This Far Before" (MCA Records, 1973) (LP)
One of Conway's biggest records -- a #1 chart-topping, Gold seller, with a huge hit in the somewhat scandalous title track, a cheatin' song galore...

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" (MCA Records, 1973) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Honky Tonk Angel" (MCA Records, 1974) (LP)

Conway Twitty "I'm Not Through Loving You Yet" (MCA Records, 1974) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Country Partners" (MCA Records, 1974) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Linda On My Mind" (MCA Records, 1975) (LP)

Conway Twitty "The High Priest Of Country Music" (MCA Records, 1975) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Twitty" (MCA Records, 1975) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Feelin's" (MCA Records, 1975) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Now And Then" (MCA Records, 1976) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "United Talent" (MCA Records, 1976)

Conway Twitty "Play, Guitar Play" (MCA Records, 1977) (LP)

Conway Twitty "I've Already Loved You In My Mind" (MCA Records, 1977) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Dynamic Duo" (MCA Records, 1977) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Georgia Keeps Pulling On My Ring" (MCA Records, 1978) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Conway" (MCA Records, 1978) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Honky Tonk Heroes" (MCA Records, 1978) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Country Rock" (MCA Records, 1979) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Cross Winds" (MCA Records, 1979) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Heart And Soul" (MCA Records, 1980) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Rest Your Love On Me" (MCA Records, 1980) (LP)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Diamond Duet" (MCA Records, 1980) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Mr. T" (MCA Records, 1981) (LP)
This album featured two #1 singles, "Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night" and "Tight Fittin' Jeans." It was reissued in 1994 under the title Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night.

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Two's A Party" (MCA Records, 1981) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Southern Comfort" (Elektra Records, 1982) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Dream Maker" (Elektra Records, 1982) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Lost In The Feeling" (Warner Brothers, 1983)

Conway Twitty "Merry Twismas" (Warner Brothers, 1983)

Conway Twitty "By Heart" (Warner Brothers, 1984)

Conway Twitty "Don't Call Him A Cowboy" (Warner Brothers, 1985)

Conway Twitty "Chasin' Rainbows" (Warner Brothers, 1985)

Conway Twitty "A Night With Conway Twitty" (MCA Records, 1986)

Conway Twitty "Fallin' For You For Years" (Warner Brothers, 1986)

Conway Twitty "Borderline" (Warner Brothers, 1987)

Conway Twitty "Still In Your Dreams" (MCA Records, 1988)

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn "Making Believe" (MCA Records, 1988)

Conway Twitty "House On Old Lonesome Road" (MCA Records, 1989) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Crazy In Love" (MCA Records, 1990)

Conway Twitty "Even Now" (MCA Records, 1991)

Conway Twitty "Final Touches" (MCA Records, 1993)

Conway Twitty "Sings Songs Of Love" (MCA Records, 1995)

Conway Twitty "A Twismas Story" (Conway Twitty Records, 2007)

Conway Twitty "20 Classics" (Varese Sarabande, 2001)
Recommended! Although these are actually early '80s re-recordings of songs Conway had hits with years earlier, they're still quite nice. The smooth rumble is still intact and the musical backing is understated and very much in keeping with the sensuous feel of the old Decca & MCA originals. Really, no one could sing a love ballad the same way as Twitty, and though you might be prepared to feel gypped by this re-make package, it's really quite good.

Conway Twitty "Greatest Hits, v.3" (MCA Records, 1990)
These late '80s recordings, while chart hits, were close to the nadir of Conway's career... Overly glossy production, and fairly weak vocals. A devoted fan might enjoy these slick, synthy ballads, but honestly, nothing on here holds a candle to his old stuff.

Conway Twitty "The Gospel Spirit" (MCA/Geffen Records, 1994)
A reissue of Twitty's 1973 album, Clinging To A Saving Hand. Amazingly enough, this was Twitty's one and only gospel record, and it's pretty groovy if you like Christian country music. It's also available in a shorter version (ten songs instead of eleven) on a CD called Who Will Pray For Me. One additional song, "Steal Away," is included only on this version.

Conway Twitty "Conway Twitty Sings/Look Into My Teardrops" (Decca, 1966/1967)

Conway Twitty "Conway Twitty Country/Here's Conway Twitty" (Decca, 1966/1968)

Conway Twitty "Next In Line/Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie" (Decca, 1968/1969)

Conway Twitty "I Love You More Today/To See My Angel Cry" (Decca, 1969/1070)

• Discogs: Conway Twitty

• Wikipedia: Conway Twitty

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