(PR) The Academy of Country Music will honor the late Conway Twitty with the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award during the non televised portion of the 43rd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards. The ceremony, which honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from MGM GRAND in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 18th, 2008 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.In 1970, Conway Twitty set the astonishing pace for the decade with "Hello Darlin'" one of the most recognizable singles in country music history. He later teamed with Loretta Lynn and the Academy of Country Music awarded their partnership with four trophies for Top Vocal Group in 1971, 1974-1976. In 1975, he won two more Awards for Album of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. Before he died in 1993, Twitty had scored a record breaking 55 number one hits, either as a solo artist or with his close friend Loretta Lynn.
"To the world, Conway Twitty was a country music superstar, a legend, but, to us, he was our Dad. 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," says Joni Twitty on behalf of Conway Twitty United.
Brenda Lee, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Porter Wagoner have alsobeen chosen to receive the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award honoring individuals who are pioneers in the country music genre. Past recipients of the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award include Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Bob Wills, Tex Ritter, Charlie Pride, Loretta Lynn, Charlie Daniels, Hank Williams, Sr., Merle Haggard, George Jones, Dolly Parton and Alabama, among others.
