Festive Facts About the Merry Twismas Album

Conway LOVED Christmas. After Twitty City opened in 1982, it became known for the magical fantasy world he created at Christmastime. "Christmas at Twitty City" featured over a quarter million lights and 40 major displays including a live nativity, petting zoo, and Santa's Workshop. 

He waited until well into his career to release the obligatory Christmas album, 1983's Merry Twismas from Conway Twitty & His Little Friends, but instead of simply recording 10 holiday songs he produced an elaborate, one-of-a-kind storybook album for children of all ages, one that is still treasured in millions of homes around the world. It tells the tale of Conway and his beloved mascot the Twitty Bird as they visit Santa in Toyland Towne. It's a project that was years in the making, based on the stories and songs Conway made up for his kids as they were growing up.

How many of these facts about the Merry Twismas album did you know?

1) At the time it was the most expensive Christmas album ever produced at $250,000 and took 9 months of studio time to record. While most Christmas albums are produced during the summer months, recording began for Merry Twismas during the previous holiday season so everyone was in the Christmas spirit right out of the gate. Conway had the studio decorated, complete with gifts under the tree for all the musicians/elves.

2) The album's sound effects created what Conway described as a technical nightmare. Trips were made all over the country to locate various sound effects, and if the appropriate one couldn't be found, he would have it made himself.

3) The artwork on the cover, gatefold, and inner liner, also took hundreds of hours to create, and Conway worked very closely with artist Ann Kanengieter to make sure she captured his characters exactly the way he envisioned them.

4) One of the songs on the album, Johnny Snowman, tells the story of a little boy in Louisiana who wants to build a snowman but there isn't any snow. It was written by Conway and Fred Carter (Deana's father who toured with Conway during his rock days), and in 1964 was included as the "B" side of Burl Ives' A Holly Jolly Christmas single (as Snow for Johnny).

5) To promote the album Conway made his very first appearance on TNN's Nashville Now on November 14,1983. Viewers were introduced to the voice of the Twitty Bird, Tina Clower-Sherman, who had been heard for the first time a year earlier on his Conway Twitty On the Mississippi television special. Ironically, when auditions were held and Conway made his final selection he realized he had met Tina years earlier when she performed as a ventriloquist at a beauty pageant he attended. He had always remembered how talented she was and kept her in the back of his mind for future projects, so it was certainly fate she would be chosen to be the voice of his little feathered friend.

6) Throughout the week of December 5, 1983, Conway was the in-studio guest on The Ralph Emery Show for an "At the North Pole" Christmas special. For anyone unfamiliar with this radio show, Ralph would have an artist co-host each week's show with him live in the studio. Any of these shows are priceless, but this one is extra special as Conway gives a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the album.

7) After being out of print since 1994, in 2007 the album was reissued on CD as A Twismas Story. Conway's granddaughter Christi Prater, who was only 11 when he passed away, became the voice of the Twitty Bird.

8) Conway had hoped to produce an animated television special based on the Merry Twismas story. Dick Clark was even interested in co-producing the special with Conway. By 1986 a contract was signed with Hanna-Barbera but sadly, this project never came to fruition.

It would be impossible to list all of Conway's achievements throughout his legendary career, but he often said that he was prouder of this album than anything he had ever done. That fact alone will always make it extra special in the hearts and minds of Conway's fans everywhere.