Joni Twitty Net Worth
Joni Twitty was both an exceptional musician and successful business woman; both talents helped contribute to her posthumous net worth.
She is the daughter of Conway Twitty and has worked hard on building her own career. Recently, she released Timeless, which features recordings her father made that were never made commercially available.
Early Life and Education
Twitty’s early songs revealed his affinity for country music, and even though he later gained notoriety as a rock star, his reverence for Nashville and its talented performers never faded. He became one of the first stars to incorporate major country acts into their television shows; additionally, he invested in a minor league baseball team with other country musicians.
He was also known for giving back to the community, sharing a story of being approached at a gas station by a man asking for $20 so he could purchase enough fuel to get home. Twitty generously gave up his own funds for him – an act which left an impactful and lasting memory with him.
Twitty had four children from his three marriages. Joni Lee Ryles, Kathy and Jimmy (his son) all pursued careers in country music; thanks to a court ruling from 1999, his family would retain all rights associated with his name, image and music.
Professional Career
Twitty was renowned as an accomplished entertainer. His unique blend of song writing, pacing, and ad-libs created an engaging experience for audiences to watch him perform live.
Twitty managed to keep his streak alive after experiencing a brief setback: at one performance in California, an audience member experienced a heart attack; she refused paramedics’ instructions until Twitty completed performing “Hello Darlin.”
Twitty was also an outstanding philanthropist, contributing generously to both his hometown and charity organizations he supported; including building a hospital and baseball field in his hometown; making donations; and hosting an annual Christmas festival at his estate. In violation of IRS rules he even claimed as tax deduction payments made to investors of an now defunct fast food chain; his daughter Joni Lee Ryles now pursues her own country music career as well.
Achievement and Honors
Joni Lee (known professionally by her stage name Joni Penn) is one of Conway Twitty’s four children. Beginning her career with duet with her father on “Don’t Cry Joni,” her debut solo record with MCA Records made an impactful statement of who Joni Twitty was as an artist.
Joni remains active in the music business, most recently co-writing a musical production that highlights her father’s life. Additionally, she helped revamp a 1973 recording made for US military duty but never released to fans; these recordings were discovered by Tom Gramuglia of Country Rewind Records who approached Joni for assistance getting them out there to their intended target audiences.
Personal Life
Joni Lee remained close to her late father, Conway Twitty, and carried on his legacy. Together with Nashville backup vocalist John Wesley Ryles they recently updated a set of recordings made in 1973 by Twitty Birds that was originally distributed for US Armed Forces use.
Twitty also featured an duet with Joni, then only 16, called “Don’t Cry Joni”, which became one of his most successful songs.
Twitty had four children between his two marriages, three of whom — Michael, Kathy and Joni Lee — all showed promise as country music performers. After his death at age 59 in 1993, his estate was divided among his heirs until Joni Lee was declared sole heir in a settlement reached in 2007. She continues to tour today.
Net Worth
Conway Twitty was one of Nashville’s most beloved country stars during the ’70s and ’80s. His deep voice made him one of the finest balladeers during this era; yet he took risks with his lyrics by sometimes performing sexually suggestive songs.
Singer Conway Twitty left behind an extensive estate, including his sprawling home known as Twitty City. However, his family are fighting over money left behind.
Twitty had four children from two marriages. Of his four daughters, Joni Lee (now Joni Penn Ryles) has worked tirelessly to keep her father’s legacy alive. Her husband John Wesley Ryles co-produced Timeless: an album featuring recordings Twitty made in 1973 that were never released before now; Joni says it came as quite a shock and includes duets with both father and daughter on it.
