When two titans in their field unite, everyone wins. The coal miner’s daughter herself Loretta Lynn and the High Priest of Country Music Conway Twitty made a positively captivating pair and part of their electrifying theatrics culminated in a very bittersweet final reunion that took place exactly 30 years ago – the same day Twitty died.
Together, Twitty and Lynn made up one of the most iconic duos in country music. Their partnership began in the early 1970s and continued for more than a decade, resulting in numerous chart-topping hits, fueled by their easy chemistry and unparalleled talents. Thanks to them, country music lovers have hits like “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,” “After the Fire is Gone,” and “Lead Me On,” which showcase the unique blend of country and contemporary that only they could bring. Do you remember their unique, powerful final performance?
Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty shared a bittersweet final reunion
Twitty and Lynn dominated the ’70s, mostly wrapping up by the time the ’80s settled in, as their respective solo careers demanded more attention and time. However, a partnership like theirs can only yield a lasting friendship that transcends careers, and that’s exactly what theirs did. Even though they technically split, they even still put out the ’88 song “Making Believe” together.
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Sadly, though, their final time seeing each other was not another surprise collaboration – it was a tragedy. 30 years ago, Twitty collapsed in pain in his tour bus and had to be rushed to Springfield, Missouri’s Cox Medical Center. He had an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
It just so happened that Lynn’s husband, Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn, had been admitted to that same hospital suffering from complications related to diabetes. Lynn was there looking after him only to realize she would be looking after her dear friend Twitty and his family too.
The final goodbye between colleagues, friends, and family
“When they brought Conway in I couldn’t believe it,” shared Lynn years after the incident. “I just could not believe it. It was the worst thing I’ve ever been through really. I stayed with Dee [Conway’s wife] and I stayed with the band for a while, and then I’d run up to see Doo, and then I’d run back to sit with Dee. And then I’d run back to see how Doo was, because he was in real bad shape. They thought he was going to die any time. I was in bad shape myself.”
“After so long, here comes the chaplain,” she went on. “‘Do you want to see Conway?’ I said, ‘Why, what’s wrong?’ he said, ‘Do you want to see him? You’re gonna see him for the last time alive.’ I said,’ Let me take Dee.’ I grabbed Dee by the hand and said, ‘Let’s go see Conway.’ I told Conway I said, ‘Conway, don’t you die on me. You know you love to sing. You’re gonna be alright.’ Dee talked to him and said, ‘Conway, you’ve pulled through harder things than this.’”
Lynn then left to go see her husband and soon after, she was approached and given the fateful news: on June 5, 1993, “Conway died.” He was just 59, and today he is remembered as a Country Music and Rockabilly Halls of Fame inductee who won multiple Country Music Association awards. Lynn would sadly pass away in 2022 at the age of 90, the Queen of Country rejoining the priest.
