Behind the Sudden Death of Conway Twitty

The death of a longtime star often feels like a blow to the gut. Country fans, especially, felt that pang on June 5, 1993.

Country star Conway Twitty’s death was unexpected and left fans wondering how a legend, whose perfectly coiffed and rhinestoned appearance was just as iconic as his blend of sultry country, could be enthralling a crowd one minute and gone the next.

On This Day in 1993

The icon – born Harold Jenkins – fell suddenly ill after a show in Branson, Missouri, on June 4. According to the Associated Press, he collapsed on his tour bus after the Friday night performance and was rushed to Springfield, Missouri’s Cox South Hospital for surgery. He had reportedly been on his way home to Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The artist was pronounced dead the next morning at the age of 59. The cause of death was an abdominal aneurysm.

A Fated Farewell

By a twist of fate, Twitty’s frequent duet partner Loretta Lynn was at the same Missouri hospital upon his arrival, according to The Tennessean. Lynn’s husband, Doo, had been recovering from open heart surgery and she was able to have a brief moment with her friend and fellow country legend. She reportedly stayed with Twitty’s wife through the night awaiting the results of the operation.

“I was there on this day in 1993 when we lost him,” she remembered the star in an Instagram post just a few months before her own passing in 2022. “Doo and I were heartbroken. So heartbroken. It didn’t seem real. I still miss him. What I wouldn’t give to sing with him one more time. He was like a brother to me and a girl couldn’t have ask for a better friend. We made some great music and some great memories.”

A Body at Rest, An Estate in Limbo

Twitty was laid to rest at Sumner Memorial Gardens in Gallatin, Tennessee, under his birth name. His multi-million dollar estate, however, became embroiled in a decade-long battle between his family, various employees, and other parties. A number of lawsuits and other legal actions ensued for years. The country star’s fortune was eventually divided between his widow and his four children, CMT reported.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns