Universal Music 20th Century Masters (series)

The Best of Conway Twitty, Volume 2

Product Description:

Producers include: Owen Bradley, David Barnes, Ron Chancey, Jimmy Bowen, Conway Twitty.

Compilation producer: Andy McKaie.

Tracks recorded between 1968 and 1989. Includes liner notes by Rich Kienzle.

Digitally remastered by Doug Schwartz (Audio Mechanics, Los Angeles, California).

This is part of the MCA Records 20th Century Masters series.

nitially heavily influenced by the rock & roll of Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty truly came into his own as a country singer in the 1970s and '80s. Twitty's greatest contribution to country music was his ballad singing. Don Gibson's "I Can't Stop Loving You" is a great example of Twitty's gift for slow songs. On this selection, Twitty's hearty baritone is both passionate and fragile. Additionally, the crying pedal-steel accompaniment adds intensity to the painful story being told, and the background vocals bring profound climax to the tune's hook.

Twitty's best recorded moments are probably with Loretta Lynn, with whom he collaborated often. On this BEST OF collection, their hit "After the Fire Is Gone" shows the terrific rapport between these two vocalists. A song about an extramarital affair and life's tender goodbyes, "After the Fire Is Gone" is, at heart, a time-honored "drinking and cheating" tune, and it fits nicely along side the like-minded repertoire of George Jones, Ray Price, and others. If you're new to Twitty's music, this compilation is a great place to start.