Introduction:
On this day (September 18) in 1973, Conway Twitty was in the middle of a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “You’ve Never Been This Far Before.” The track’s charting success is even more impressive when you consider that numerous radio stations banned it due to lyrics some considered overly sensual. While Twitty would continue to see success on the country chart through the early 1990s, this was his last single to reach the top 40 on the Hot 100.
Twitty is a country legend. Both his solo recordings and his series of duets with Loretta Lynn charted well and were popular with fans and critics alike. However, before he was one of the most celebrated country singers in the world, he was a rock and roll artist, with a long line of hits on the Hot 100. He found his first No. 1 with “It’s Only Make Believe” in 1958. The next year, he notched two top 10 singles with “Danny Boy” and “Lonely Blue Boy.”
Nearly a decade after releasing his debut single, “Just in Time,” in 1957, Twitty transitioned to country music in the mid-1960s. He released his first country single, “Guess My Eyes Were Bigger Than My Heart,” in 1966. Two years later, in 1968, he found his first No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart with “Next in Line.” It was his first of 40 trips to the top.
Conway Twitty Finds One More Crossover Hit
After moving to country music, Conway Twitty’s crossover success largely dried up. None of his singles from the second half of the 1960s reached the Hot 100. One of his most popular songs, “Hello Darlin’,” only reached No. 60 on the all-genre survey.
“You’ve Never Been This Far Before” wasn’t his final entry on the Hot 100. “Linda on My Mind” and “Don’t Cry Joni” reached No. 61 and No. 63, respectively. However, it was his final top 40 hit. It topped the Hot Country Songs chart for 3 consecutive weeks and peaked at No. 22 on the Hot 100.
Conway Twitty would reach the top of the country chart 30 more times in his career.