Introduction:
Fifty-five years ago today (April 3), Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty were at the top of the country chart with “After the Fire Is Gone.” It was their first collaborative single and first of many shared hits. The lyrics are from two people in an extramarital affair who are falling in love. Those lyrics and the chemistry Lynn and Twitty shared sparked false rumors of an affair between the two.
Neither Twitty nor Lynn had reached the peak of their fame in 1971. They were, however, well-established country artists with a few hits under their belts. She had already scored a handful of chart-toppers, and songs like “Fist City” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter” were already out. At the same time, Twitty’s star was quickly rising. His self-penned “Hello Darlin’” had kicked off a trio of No. 1 singles in 1970, bringing his total tally to seven, including one on the Hot 100. In short, no one was shocked when their collaborations turned into hits.
They released a total of five No. 1 singles. Seven more entered the top 10. Their albums also did well. Four topped the chart, and a further four broke the top 10. The pair also won Vocal Duo of the Year at the CMA Awards four times between 1972 and 1975. “After the Fire Is Gone” also brought the pair the Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Loretta Lynn Clears the Air on Conway Twitty Rumors
“After the Fire Is Gone” is typical of the material Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty recorded together. Many of their songs were about forbidden love or from the perspectives of lovers. At the same time, they have incredible chemistry. Between the lyrics and the way they worked together, people started talking. Rumors that the married stars were having an affair started circulating.
“Everybody thought me and Conway had a thing going because of the songs we recorded,” Lynn said in a 2016 interview. “But me and Conway were friends. We wasn’t lovers,” she added.