Conway Twitty Honored at ACM Awards

5/16/2008 Patricia Montesinos Country Music legend Conway Twitty will be honored with the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award Sunday at the 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Twitty’s song “Hello Darlin’” made Conway a bonafide Country Music star and is still regarded as one of the most recognized Country Music songs of all time. Twitty held a 20-year record for most singles to reach No.1 on the Billboard country charts until George Strait broke it in 2006.  He recorded duet albums with Loretta Lynn that won the duo four Top Vocal Group awards. “To the world, Conway Twitty was a Country Music superstar, a legend, but, to us, he was our Dad," said Joni Twitty through Conway Twitty United.  "We are so very proud of this honor that has been bestowed upon him.  He certainly was a pioneer in both rock-n-roll and country music and well deserving of this award.  We are very proud of all he achieved in his musical career, but, we are even more proud of the kind, loving and gentle man he was to everyone he ever met.” The ACM's “Cliffie” Award honors individuals who have been pioneers in Country Music.  Past recipients include Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and Merle Haggard.  The Cliffie Award will not be part of the televised portion of the ACMs.