On This Day in 1993, Legendary Country Singer Conway Twitty Died at 59

On this day (June 5) in 1993, Conway Twitty, a country music legend, died at the age of 59. He collapsed on his tour bus after a show at the Jim Stafford Theatre in Branson, Missouri, on June 4. He was rushed to the hospital in Springfield, where he died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

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Over the course of 38 years, Twitty notched dozens of No. 1 singles as a solo artist and saw additional chart success with a series of duets with Loretta Lynn. More importantly, he entertained fans around the world and made some of the most memorable songs in country music history.

[RELATED: Top 10 Conway Twitty Songs]

Conway Twitty’s Fist No. 1

Conway Twitty scored his 40^th No. 1 single in 1980, breaking the record held by Eddie Arnold. He held the record until George Strait overtook him in 2006.

Twitty was able to stack so many No. 1 singles because he started topping the chart early in his career. His fourth single overall and the lead-off track from his debut album, Sings, became his first chart-topper in 1958. “It’s Only Make Believe” sat atop the Hot 100 chart for two weeks.

“It’s Only Make Believe” was the B-side to the single “I’ll Try.” The A-side failed to take off. At this point, Twitty believed his budding music career was over. He decided to hang it up and go back to Arkansas to work on his family’s farm. However, DJs started playing the B-side, and it caught on, topping the chart in November.

Twitty’s Legendary Partnership with Loretta Lynn

Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn released their first collaborative album, We Only Make Believe, in 1971. They would go on to release a total of ten studio albums between 1971 and 1981. Eight of those were top 10 hits, with four going to the top of the country albums chart. The pair also launched a series of successful singles and took home a trophy case full of awards for their duets.

The pair’s close friendship translated to tremendous musical chemistry. From heartfelt songs like “After the Fire Is Gone” to humorous numbers like “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly,” the country legends were a match made in heaven.

“Hello Darlin’”

Any discussion of Conway Twitty’s career would be incomplete without mentioning “Hello Darlin’,” his biggest country hit.

Twitty started a slow shift from rockabilly to country music in the mid-1960s, finding success on the country charts. His 1970 album, Hello Darlin’, marked the completion of his sonic metamorphosis and the beginning of the most successful era of his career. The album’s lead single and title track was like an announcement of his arrival. It topped the chart for four weeks and remains his signature song.

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