The Rise and Fall of the Conway Twitty Empire
Conway Twitty was one of the most successful country music artists in history. With forty #1 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, only George Strait secured more #1’s over his career.
Conway Twitty was one of the most successful country music artists in history. With forty #1 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, only George Strait secured more #1’s over his career.
“We went to the CMAs the other night. Every single person knew who Chapel Hart was. Exciting news for us, but also sad news, because for us that means everyone knows who we are, and we still don’t have a record deal.”
30 years ago today, Conway Twitty passed away. In a strange twist of fate, chance brought Loretta Lynn to the side of her legendary duet partner to be there for his final moments.
It goes without saying that at this moment in history, everyone in America is incensed and sickened by the level of gun violence plaguing society, and specifically the prevalence of mass shootings, and especially school shootings.
Oh how people love to regard classic country music as coming from this pure and idyllic era, full of traditional American values and virtue, while regarding today’s country music as full of filth. That may be somewhat fair on the whole, but there are certainly some exceptions to that rule.
The Longhorn Ballroom was one of the most important venues in country music for many years. When it opened in 1950, it was known as Bob Wills’ Ranch House, and was one of the major venues in Western Swing. It was also once operated by Jack Ruby.
For years I’ve been thinking that a cool way to present the legends of country music would be to illustrate the genre’s top artists through a deck of cards. Where to place what artist, what suit would be suited best for certain performers all seems like it would create great discussion points.
As we look back on 2022 and before we look forward to 2023, it’s important we take the time to pay tribute to the important individuals in country music who left us over the last year, and who left a mark on the country and roots music world that will never fade. 2022 saw some absolute titans of the music leave us.
A pretty universal consensus from the country fans who did suffer through the presentation to see the extended Alan Jackson tribute at the end was that in 2022, the CMA Awards seemed to do a 180-degree turn, and started going back in the right direction toward featuring more actual country music.
What a year it has been for Charley Crockett, who has recently transitioned off the club circuit to full-blown theaters. And in country music, there is no bigger theater than the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium.
Luke Combs said it best while accepting the trophy for Entertainer of the Year Wednesday night (11-9) at the 2022 CMA Awards: “This is my fifth or sixth year being at this awards show, and country sounded more country than it has in a long time tonight.” In truth, the CMA Awards righting the ship goes back even further.
Alan Jackson is being honored as the 2022 recipient of the Country Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. One of the top honors in country music, the Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2012 with Willie Nelson as the inaugural recipient. Alan Jackson will be on hand at the CMA Awards.
The great Loretta Lynn died on October 4th at the age of 90, leaving behind one of the most impressive catalogs in country music history. But as Saving Country Music previously reported, we’re probably not done hearing from Loretta Lynn just yet, including a rendition of an iconic recording.
The Pill. THE PILL! Even before the unfortunate passing of the great Loretta Lynn on October 4th, there was nothing that exposed one more as a political apparatchik larping as a journalist within the country music space than shoehorning a reference to Loretta Lynn’s “The Pill” into your misguided think piece.
Ashley McBryde will be the next member of the Grand Ole Opry. Announced very awkwardly and unconventionally on the CBS This Morning TV show Thursday morning (10-6), she was invited by Garth Brooks via satellite link. Ashley McBryde was in the television studio in New York, being interviewed.
It was revealed previously that between 2007 and 2014, Loretta Lynn had been making regular visits to the Cash Cabin Studios in Hendersonville, TN originally built by Johnny Cash, and recording tracks with her daughter Patsy Lynn Russell and John Carter Cash acting as producers.
There are many artists whose life experiences have been interwoven into their music, and resulted in the purest form of what has gone on to be recognized as “country” around the world. But few, if any—especially from the feminine perspective—had the same grace, the same truth, the same impact as songs of Loretta Lynn.
‘Rolling Stone’ published a list of the The 100 Greatest Country Albums of All Time this week, and as per usual, it has many arguing its merits, omissions, and inclusions. There was a time when whatever Rolling Stone said was taken as the definitive word in music. These days it’s more polarizing.
British-born, and Australian-raised singer and actor Olivia Newton-John passed away on Monday, August 8th at the age of 73 after a long battle with breast Cancer, leaving the world bereft of one of the most cherished and recognizable entertainers in history whose work and influence bridged the worlds of acting and music.
Though you won’t see any press releases about it, or social media posts about it from their personal accounts, both Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton have been spotted in the region with their boots on the ground in Kentucky directly helping local residents after the historic flooding.
Dolly Parton will be one of the next inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The next question is how the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will consider country performers for induction moving forward. This moment presents a slippery slope.
Terry Tyson was the manager of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop from early 2018 until early 2020. In that time, the Record Shop went from being chronically understocked to once again becoming a hopping destination spot in on one of Nashville’s most bustling areas.
“Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc.” has finally returned to the digital world. It was over a year ago that Dwight Yoakam’s iconic debut album disappeared from music streaming and download services amid a copyright dispute with the album’s original label, Warner Music.
With so many of the artists that reach superstar status, there is a “moment” that put them there. Sometimes, it’s a number of these moments. For Loretta Lynn, that moment came through Ernest Tubb, and the Ernest Tubb Record Shop’s Midnite Jamboree.