Country Singing Star Conway Twitty Dies

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Conway Twitty, who started as a pop singer in the 1950s and crossed over to country to become a star, died yesterday at age 59 of complications from surgery after a blood vessel ruptured in his stomach.

Twitty collapsed Friday night on his tour bus during a rest stop in southwest Missouri. He was on the way home to Hendersonville, Tenn., from a performance.

Twitty was born Sept. 1, 1933, as Harold Lloyd Jenkins. He changed his name in 1957 by borrowing from Conway, Ark., and Twitty, Texas.

Twitty got his break as a rockabilly artist in the 1950s, writing songs for the Sun Records' stable of singers that included Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

His singing career took off after his name change. His first hit was "It's Only Make Believe," which soared to No. 1 on the pop charts in 1958.

Despite the advice of managers, booking agents and record company people, Twitty made the switch to country and turned out more than 40 No. 1 hits, including "Hello Darlin'," "Tight-Fittin' Jeans" and "Linda On My Mind."

Twitty and Loretta Lynn won the Country Music Association's Vocal Duo of the Year award in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975. They won a Grammy for their 1971 duet, "After The Fire Is Gone."

In 1982, Twitty opened Twitty City, a nine-acre tourist complex in Hendersonville, a Nashville suburb. It included performance facilities, and Twitty often would come out and greet visitors.

"I've not only lost a great singing partner but also a great friend," Lynn said yesterday. "My heart goes out to Conway's family, and we're all going to miss him very much."

Singer Mel Tillis praised Twitty's style and talent.

"He didn't do a lot of talking on stage, he said he let his music do his talking," Tillis said yesterday. "He was a song's best friend, because he could really sing."

He is survived by his mother, Velma Jenkins; wife Dee Henry; and his four children, Joni, Jimmy, Kathy and Michael.