TRIBUTE TO CONWAY
Grandson keeps legacy alive
Conway Twitty is a country music legend and yet some people feel he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.
One of those people is Tre Twitty, his grandson, who will be in Regina on Sunday at the Conexus Arts Centre with The Ultimate Tribute to Conway Twitty.
In a career stretching almost 40 years, Conway Twitty totalled 41 No. 1 singles — 36 as a solo artist and another five with Loretta Lynn — although some sources credit him with 51 No. 1 hits. In addition to selling more than 50 million albums, Twitty toured constantly, selling out shows throughout the United States and Canada. Yet 25 years after his sudden passing on June 5, 1993, Tre Twitty is adamant that his grandfather — who he called Poppie — doesn’t get the attention he deserves.
“I think he’s one of the most underrated legends of all time. You hear about Johnny Cash, you hear about Merle Haggard, you hear about Waylon Jennings but you don’t hear about Conway Twitty as much," said Tre. “It’s weird because he had the most hits of anybody. Anything I can do to keep his legacy alive, I’ll do it. He’s been gone 25 years this year and there’s still this love for him. People come out (to my shows) and want to be a part it somehow.”
The show is a tribute to Conway Twitty, as opposed to an impersonation — “I don’t come out with a perm wig or anything,” Tre said with a laugh. He admits that there is some pressure due to the expectations of the fans but he’s quick to point out that most of the fans are hoping Tre can bring their memories of Conway back to life.
“It’s an impossible task. It’s like being Elvis’s grandson and his fans saying, ‘You’re not going to measure up.’ I just try and capture the spirit,” said Tre. “I try and keep it about him and bring his spirit into the show, sing the songs people love. There’s definite pressure but there’s also a lot of love in the room. It’s all about him so if they can hear something in my voice or see something in my smile that reminds them of him or takes them back to a time when they saw him, that’s what it’s all about.”
Asked why his grandfather had such a long and successful career, Tre had a quick answer.
“He realized that you have to be able to change with the times, that you can’t be stuck in a certain format or a certain genre,” said Tre. “He put his ego aside and decided whatever was going on, he was going to do it better than anyone else and he did. That’s how he was able to go from the rock ’n’ roll days of the ’50s to country in the ’60s, which then turned into pop country, and he did that. He never got stuck in a certain sound. He was constantly evolving.
“A lot of artists have an ego where they say, ‘This is what I do and if you don’t like it, you can shove it.’ But he was like, ‘If this is hot now, let’s see what it is.’ He kept on evolving, he kept on changing and that’s why he had such a long and successful career.”
In addition to his solo career, Conway Twitty had an impressive run with Loretta Lynn in the 1970s. They combined for five No. 1 singles and were named top vocal duo by the Academy of Country Music four times and vocal group of the year by the Country Music Association four times. Their single After the Fire is Gone won a Grammy Award in 1971 for best country performance by a duo or group with a vocal.
The chemistry the two shared played a major role in their success as a duo. Tre has been performing with Tayla Lynn, Loretta’s granddaughter, and he feels they share a similar chemistry.
“She’s just like Loretta, they have the same kind of energy, and Poppie and I have the same kind of energy as well, so I think that’s why it works,” said Tre. “She’s crazy and nutty and I’m reserved and quiet and that’s how Poppie and Loretta were. They had a truly special relationship
and people felt that. I think people see that in Tayla and I, they sense that closeness.”
THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO CONWAY TWITTY: TRE TWITTY with special guest Tayla Lynn 7:30 p.m., Sunday
Conexus Arts Centre