Do You Know How Conway Twitty Chose His Name?

The Story Behind Conway Twitty’s Name

Country music legend Conway Twitty became a household name in the early 1970s when his smooth vocals and romantic songs caught listeners’ attention. However, many fans may not know that he began his music career under a different name.

The Mississippi native was born on September 1, 1933, by the name of Harold Jenkins. He started singing and writing music while serving overseas in the Army. Upon returning home, Jenkins began recording rockabilly music in Memphis, Tennessee.

In 1957, Jenkins decided he needed a name with more “star quality” in order to get more radio play. He adopted the stage name Conway Twitty, the moniker that would later follow him into his transition to country music.

In a March 1989 appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, Twitty recalled his thought process behind the change.

“I thought disc jockeys back in the 50s got so many records – every week they’d get 50 or 60 new records – and they had to decide what they were gonna play and what they weren’t gonna play. And I thought, well, maybe with an interesting name like Elvis Presley or something like that, they might play it.” 

Elvis Presley was one of the young musicians’ earliest musical influences and inspired his foray into rock music.

Conway Twitty Chose His Stage Name In An Unexpected Way

So, where did the recognizable name come from? In the same interview, Conway Twitty told the story of the unlikely place he found inspiration for his new identity – a map of the United States.

“I started thinking about all kinds of names, and finally, in desperation, I just got the map down and looked around the Memphis area where I’m from… and I came across Conway, Arkansas. And then I came across Twitty, Texas, and put them together.” 

And the rest is history! Conway Twitty performed under that title for the next 30+ years until his death in 1993. During his career, the beloved musician earned 40 number-one hits and held the record for the most chart-topping songs until George Strait surpassed it in 2009.

Watch the video below to hear Conway Twitty himself tell the story of his stage name on Late Night with David Letterman!