Former Home Of Country Music Icon Conway Twitty At Risk of Being Demolished
The country music icon’s former home in Hendersonville, Tennessee may soon be no more.
Conway Twitty; Photos via Facebook
Conway Twitty’s former home in Hendersonville, Tennessee is at risk for demolition, according to a report by the Hendersonville Standard.
The property, which is owned by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) recently sustained damages due to an ER-2 tornado that ripped through the area on December 9. Even before the tornado ravaged the property and other parts of Hendersonville, plans to tear down several buildings on the property were underway.
Plans For New Development Revealed
The local newspaper reported that Frank Amedia, a real estate developer and televangelist, brought plans to the Hendersonville Planning Commission to develop a new place for the 33-acre property, which is currently home to the TV show Huckabee. The new plan reportedly entails the removal of all current structures within the compound, except for the Huckabee Theatre, the barn, and specific segments of the “Hello Darlin” brick wall encircling the former Twitty home.
The suggested proposal includes the construction of an 80-unit assistant living facility, a 96-unit independent living facility, a clubhouse, pool, chapel, and community building for those living in the units, two office buildings with production studios, and an expansion of the Huckabee Theatre.
City officials would need to approve the plan before the developer could move forward.
A Major Concern
Vanessa Silkwood, a Planning Commission representative, has a few reservations about the proposed plan.
“One of my concerns is that Hendersonville has a really rich tradition with music. I feel like we are losing touch with that to a certain extent,” said Silkwood, who according to the Hendersonville Standard, asked if the former Conway Twitty mansion could potentially be saved.
“That is a major concern of mine, considering the tradition and the history that it brings to Hendersonville. Although it’s really not accessible to the public right now, knowing that it is there is exciting and I think can draw potential visitors to our town,” she explained.
Will There Be A Conway Twitty Museum?
According to Amedia, saving the home of the legendary country star is not possible.
“The mansion roof came up and came down and was twisted. Before that, it was in bad shape, now it’s in real bad shape,” he said. “And it doesn’t fit in with the use.”
He says they plan to honor the Country Music Hall of Famer differently.
“One of the things we are committed to, if we can get the rights, we want to do a whole memorabilia thing,” Amedia stated. “So that we bring it back. Because there’s really no identity there.”
The developer claimed that TBN was attempting to obtain rights to Twitty’s name and/or likeness in order to create a museum dedicated to him on the property, however, Twitty’s son, Jimmy Jenkins, told the newspaper that the Twitty family had not received any contact regarding the rights to utilize his father’s name or likeness.
When the planning commission members placed their votes, it was evenly split 4-4 on recommending the plan to the city’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen, resulting in a negative recommendation. The city’s General Committee is set to review it on Jan. 9, with the full BOMA scheduled to address it on Jan. 23.
Where Is Conway Twitty’s Home?
Conway Twitty opened Twitty City in June of 1982 and the property was once one of Nashville’s most popular tourist attractions. In 1986, Twitty’s colonial-style mansion was featured on the show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, highlighting the lavish estate.
“Obviously the demolition of Twitty City will be a sad day for all of Hendersonville, Tenn.,” said Jimmy Jenkins, via the Hendersonville Standard. “Many people have memories of enjoying all the Christmas festivities of Twitty City, many had their first job working at Twitty City in various capacities. Many will remember dad playing concerts at Music Village or in the pavilion at Twitty City. He wanted Twitty City to be his home, the home of his family, but also a place for his fans. It is a Hendersonville landmark, but also home for our family. Family memories were made there.”
Conway Twitty is known for songs such as “Hello Darlin’,” “I’d Love to Lay You Down,” “Slow Hand,” and more. Throughout his career, he earned 55 No.1 singles and sold over 50 million albums.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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