Conway Twitty’s Former “Twitty City” No Longer Giving Tours
Those hoping to get a tour of Conway Twitty’s palatial mansion in Herndersonville, TN are tough out of luck. Though the grounds of what once was known as Twitty City are still open, and the current owners—The Trinity Broadcasting Network—still broadcast Sunday services and other events from the complex, tourists hoping to get a glimpse of Twitty’s home are being turned away.
“We do not give tours any longer,” Station Manager Becky Bustin of Trinity Music City confirmed to Saving Country Music, saying the tours were suspended indefinitely on July 3rd. “It was a corporate decision.”
Conway opened the multi-structure tourist attraction and family compound in 1982 at a price tag of $3.5 million, and lived there until his death in 1993. The centerpiece was Conway’s 24-room mansion surrounded by memorial gardens that became a destination for tourists and famous for the elaborate Christmas light displays every December.
“I built Twitty City because I wanted to have a place where my kids and I could always be close together, and they have homes right here,” Conway explained in an episode of ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ from the 80’s. “I also wanted a first-class place for country music fans to come to when they come to Nashville, and get as close to an artist as they can get … A lot of my friends in this business said ‘Conway, you’ve lost your mind.’ And I can understand how they feel, but they haven’t been as close to this concept as I have. I have all the privacy I need right here at Twitty City. I can come out my door and get to my office which is only 100 yards away if I want to without anybody ever seeing me. Or if I want to be seen, I can.”
However when Conway Twitty passed away, the ownership of Twitty City became part of a bitter legal dispute between Conway’s four children and his third wife Dee, eventually putting the property into liquidation.
“When Conway Twitty married his third wife, he failed to update his will to take into account his changed circumstances,” says the Heritage Law Group. “Because Conway had not amended his will after marriage, his third wife was entitled to a 1/3 share of his estate. His children fought in court to continue living in their Twitty City houses. They also fought to keep the salaries that had been receiving from their father’s company. Eventually, the probate judge ordered everything to be sold at auction. The children were kicked out of the houses, and all personal items were sold. Dee received 1/3 of the auction proceeds, and the remaining 2/3 was split among his four children.”
Twitty City became Trinity Music City when the Trinity Broadcasting Network purchased the compound, but the new owners continued to keep the gift shop open and offer tours of the grounds and Conway’s home. Trinity Music City is now primarily used for broadcasts of Sunday services and other live events.
“We still have our productions going on,” says Becky Bustin of Trinity.
Interest had waned in the tours, primarily because Twitty City had fallen off the map as a tourist destination. In recent years, only if you knew to ask at the gift shop for a guided tour would you be granted one.
July 22, 2016 @ 8:54 am
Thanks for spreading the word. It may not happen often, I would have hated for someone to make the trip down there and get turned away at the gate.
July 22, 2016 @ 9:07 am
Just leaving this here, but Turnpike just released a new song.
July 22, 2016 @ 9:19 am
Nice!
July 22, 2016 @ 9:56 am
Just listened to it this morning!
July 22, 2016 @ 11:15 am
Twitty’s “It’s Only Make Believe” was one of my earliest song memories as a kid. I grew up thinking I hated country music, not realizing I was fooled by this one and some others. It’s still one of my all time favorites.
July 22, 2016 @ 11:17 am
Kind of a shame this never turned into the Graceland-esque destination it could have been. I used to live in Nashville and I barely even knew this existed. I would’ve asked for a tour if I had known.
July 23, 2016 @ 4:25 am
I never knew this existed either until this article.
July 23, 2016 @ 2:57 pm
The saddest part in all of this is the realization that, as much as family can inspire the most treasured bonding experiences, it can also inspire some of the ugliest feuds as well! =(
Imagine what could have been if his children and one of his ex-wives had been able to sort out that legal matter! =(
July 24, 2016 @ 6:57 am
I can’t imagine being the children of Conway, knowing he built a lot of that for them, and having it ripped away. Losing your home, and I’m sure, a lot of valuables along the way. The last wife must have been a gold digger of sorts.
July 24, 2016 @ 10:35 am
The issues with the estate and the liquidation of its assets are the reason you don’t hear much about Conway anymore compared to his contemporaries. Nobody was out there lobbying for him. Twitty City was supposed to be a place to carry on Conway’s name even when he was gone. People wonder why some artists continue to do well after they pass and others don’t? A lot of it has to do with how well the estate is managed, and how the respective partners in it get along.
July 24, 2016 @ 11:06 am
Great point! Conway is looked at as a joke now. Mainly because of the Family Guy cut always of Conway singing. The man had an unreal career, spanning several decades. Sure some of it was forgettable, but he made a lot of great country music.
October 2, 2017 @ 8:38 am
Exactly why people like family guy shouldn’t do some of the shit they do Twitty was a good person and didn’t deserve to be a meme on family guy for people who didn’t know who he was to laugh and make fun of such an icon and I live in TN and to live in the same state as a former legend is a blessing then to hear that saddens me
September 18, 2022 @ 4:51 pm
When Family Guy does that I am always singing along with Conway. I don’t think they intended for us to enjoy what they did but I do. I hate all this drama for his kids, but he had a successful life and shared it with those he loved. Sometimes memories are all we get but at least we have them.
January 4, 2017 @ 9:37 pm
Dee was not a gold digger and I’m so sick of people saying that…if the kids would have given her some of what she deserved, they would not have had to sell Twitty City..or had a nasty court case..
June 25, 2018 @ 9:05 pm
No His last Wife was a first class Bitch!!!!
February 15, 2022 @ 11:55 pm
The kids were spoiled brats just try and friend them on Facebook and see where you get
December 22, 2018 @ 11:40 am
His kids should have gotten it she sold personal letters and divorce pspers.she was money hungry.
January 7, 2019 @ 11:06 pm
No Dee was not a bitch. Conway loved her. If the kids had treated her with the respect she deserved, none of the lawsuits would have happened. Those kids were just used to living off their dad and was upset because their meal ticket was gone. The one of the kids that owed the most money to Conway was the one that started the lawsuits. So sad that they could have all gotten along if the 3 kids would have done the right thing.
July 31, 2019 @ 6:58 pm
So true Kathy was wrong all the way, if you can’t get along here on earth what do you think God will put up with? They all could have still had it all if they new how to act. Their dad worked hard for them now look what happen.
December 28, 2021 @ 4:13 pm
Dee did not need that home, she purchased a mansion, (don’t know why) and now it’s in forecloser!!! What comes around goes around.
June 5, 2021 @ 10:43 pm
It’s a shame what families do to each other now days. You work your ass off to create something for your family to be passed down from generation to generation for what ? For them to disrespect you when your gone all over greed. It’s a down right disgrace.
March 4, 2023 @ 9:04 am
Conway nor his children had lived there for decades. I don’t know why this article states they did. I was a tour guide there. There’s no reason to keep up bogus ads now that no one can go there.
March 4, 2023 @ 9:35 am
The “ads” are there for historical reference, and the article make it clear that the children have not lived there since the estate dispute. The article itself is nearly eight years old at this point.
July 24, 2016 @ 7:39 pm
So they aren’t letting any tourists visit anymore, or are they not doing tours anymore? I was planning on going to Nashville next year and visiting the old Twitty City was one of my bucket list items.
July 24, 2016 @ 8:12 pm
Trinity Music City is still there and you can visit the grounds. But as far as the gift shop and touring Conway’s mansion, according to Trinity, they are no longer offered.
July 25, 2016 @ 12:16 pm
They let us walk the grounds, but were not allowed in the mansion, and the gift shop was closed when we went. Good news was you can go just down the road and see the location of Cash’s former home that burned down, and Roy Orbinson’s former home…now owned by Marty Stuart.
January 16, 2017 @ 8:14 pm
we were there during Thanksgiving and it was locked up and not a soul in sight anywhere. Really sad.
February 6, 2017 @ 10:16 pm
Yes Dee was a gold digger because conway left everything including Twitty City and Dee refused to live at Twitty City because she was jealous of what Mickey and Conway built for his family but Conway was warned about not to Marry Dee Because the fans New what Dee was like and so did his mother and his daughters and his son jimmy so don’t tell me that she deserved to have any part of Twitty City Conways own mom told him about Dee and the saddest part was that the year Twitty City was sold and closed Conways mom passed away because she lost her son and she lost her house that Conway built for her and his children
August 10, 2017 @ 9:36 am
So let’s put the shoe on the other foot. You are single and he is single. You worked for this gentleman for many years and you get to know him quite well because you share the same interests. (His business) Then all of the sudden the two of you start to fall in love. The two of you run off and get married. Then his children start to be mean to you, like little vultures constantly harassing you during your marriage. Then all of the sudden your husband dies and your whole world collapses down on you and you have nothing. Money does not make people happy, you just want your spouse.. (When your husband dies you might understand) Then to top it off you have these bratty little immature people after you just because you married the man of your dreams. They thought they would have gotten everything. Their free house and their paychecks that keep rolling in. But oh no, these two snippy little daughters keep nagging you and calling you names and on and on for years and years. Dee was willing to work with the children from the very beginning but they were unwilling to work with Dee. The two sons were smart and did not waste the money they received from their father. The sons did what was right. Just think what could of been if they would have talked it out like adults. Same thing happened to my aunt. She married her boss (who was worth a lot of money) a couple of years after he was single and his kids were just mean to her in the worst ways. After he died they were just horrible to her. So now you are Dealing with the death of your husband and you are in deep mourning for him and these bratty children are all over you like white on rice. Well after my aunts husband died and everything settled the kids got nothing and that is what Conways kids should have gotten was nothing. You know that Dee was the wife. When my husband died his children got nothing, I got it all because I am the spouse. You will find out some day when your spouse dies that it is absolutely worst time in your life.
February 13, 2017 @ 1:52 pm
This is so sad there should be a law to stop this kind of crap Conway was so great ,for everything did was to go to his family to enjoy an remember how great he was what a shame
February 15, 2022 @ 11:58 pm
Well said they were brats
April 2, 2017 @ 1:00 pm
Conway Twitty should have had Dee sign a pre-nuptial agreement regarding Twitty City before marrying her. I am sure his lawyers advised him to do so. If you marry a woman your children’s age chances are that she is going to out live you. It is a shame that Twitty City had to be liquidated because the heirs of his estate could not come to an agreement regarding it. I would have like to see it in person.
July 2, 2017 @ 8:25 pm
Conway loved Dee very much. Everyone said so that worked close to him. They had stated that when he was with Dee he had never been happier. I am so tired of hearing about how Dee acted the way she did. When your husband dies on you and your children acted the way they did, I would have done the same thing and say screw you. Poor little things had to actually go out and get real jobs and buy a house to call their own. They depended on Harold Jenkins to take care of him for ever and it did not turn out that way for the kids. Wake up kids and smell the roses. If I had step children that acted like that, I would have done the same thing as Dee did. Those kids lost their homes and incomes because they could not grow up.
July 19, 2017 @ 7:16 pm
Where does Dee live now? You never see her or the “new” home she & Conway shared…
August 27, 2017 @ 10:41 am
Hope his third wife is happy at destroying a family and a man who chose not to live in the limelight but enjoy hs time with his family and keep them together. This kind of thing should never have happened and Twitty City would still be going if kept as was spoken the third wife was in the marriage for what she could get out of him and that is very sad. I hope she is happy for destroying a family and showing contempt and disrespect for a husband she was supposed to have loved when all was false. His family would have given her a part if she had just agreed to keep it as it was. So many times things like this happen when the deceased never wanted this to have happened. I had a similar situation. I had power of attorney over everything but my parents had not much and I as power of attorney had to file bankruptcy because trying to handle what was left of the estate after attorneys became out of my pocket due to theft of monies by two brothers. That left the power of attorney having to pay for all attorney fees and no one named as power of attorney in any state in this union should be forced ti file bankruptcy for attempting to follow the deceased wishes. I had disgust for his third wife and prayer for his children who were left with nothing. The only people who get rich over these kind of things are the attorneys who are looking out for the interest of themselves.
August 28, 2017 @ 7:09 pm
I hope she is happy now, she got what she wanted,if I had been conway I would have divorced her a long time ago. I’miss sure she is a gold digger karma will bite her in the buttop someday and I sincerely hope she gets what she deserves!
October 2, 2017 @ 8:35 am
I would have loved to visit Twitty was my favorite country love artist and it’s a shame to see it’s closed
October 5, 2017 @ 8:34 pm
I wonder if Twitty City t shirts are avail. anywhere?
August 28, 2018 @ 6:45 am
Excellent opportunity, ya know, for the fans!
December 3, 2017 @ 6:53 am
I have a coffee mug that I purchased at Tweety City right before it closed and would love to find another one like it
. Is there any place I could get one made?
January 8, 2018 @ 1:45 pm
Yes there is a place to purchase them. Go to Conway twitty.com. his daughters did win the rights to all metchandise, and have a website and also a fan group on fb. You can purchase direct from them
June 11, 2018 @ 6:14 pm
What a shame that Twitty City went under financially by the greedy Trinity Broadcasting Network The home that he had in Twitty City should have been for his children and childrens children
September 8, 2018 @ 10:23 pm
I am glad I found out that they no longer give tours before driving there. But it is sad they don’t look at Graceland they still give tours. It has been a lot longer time that Elvis has been dead than Conway and I prefer Conway over Elvis any day.
October 19, 2018 @ 1:45 pm
Well, I was at Twitty City in the 80’s. I saw Dee and Conway both. Dee was a loving person and I could see why Conway loved her. some of these post are wrong. Unless you knew Conway and Dee personally, you shouldn’t say any evil about her or their relationship, period
December 9, 2018 @ 2:27 pm
Common sense tells you if you get married and you dont have an agreement, the spouse should get everything. No decent husband would want his wife kicked to the curb if he should pass. The really stupid and greedy fall for some lawyer who dreams up a story about how everything can be yours. Of course the only person who is getting the money will be the lawyers at this point. The second you decide to argue over an estate…..pretty much means you get nothing. They could have easily sat down and put differences aside and just say there is 5 people involved and fair would be a 5 way split.
April 8, 2019 @ 5:29 pm
I think Conway built homes and gave his children money was because he was away so much. I read he was away for months and only home for a couple weeks and even missed some of their births. He loved his children and Mother very much. I think he was just trying to make it up to them. His second wife was with him longer but I know it had to be hard raising the children on her own and she missed him terribly. They were together twenty-eight years altogether. There had to be true love there. I hate they parted that second time for good. He worked a lot of years no matter what.
May 26, 2019 @ 7:44 pm
Twitty City was built as a tourist destination and residential area for Conway and his family. In his own words during interviews upon it’s grand opening in 1982 he said that he wanted his family (his grown children, grand-children, and mother) all living close to his own home. I don’t think it was built as some sort of make up gesture for the months he was away touring at least I’ve never seen any sort of comment from Conway to suggest that. He remained actively touring even after Twitty City opened.
Technically he was married four times but if one does the research you’ll discover his first marriage occurred when he was in his late teens to a woman named Ellen and the marriage didn’t last long but it did produce the birth of his oldest son, Michael. His second and third marriages were to the same woman, Mickey.
The two married in the late 1950s but divorced at some point in the early 1970s and then remarried a couple of years later but ultimately divorced again in 1984. Dee Henry, in the meantime, was working in the music industry and her name appears in the production credits of Conway’s early to mid 1980s albums prior to their eventual marriage in 1987. I’ve never liked biographers and writers stating that Conway was married ‘four times’ because it makes it look as if he was some sort of unstable wreck of a person unable to have a solid marriage when, in truth, it wasn’t that way at all.
As you could guess I’m a fan of Conway’s and love hearing his recordings from all time periods. I, too, detest the way his likeness was mercilessly parodied on ‘Family Guy’ because it creates the notion for those that perhaps weren’t even born during his lifetime that you should view Conway and anything he recorded as a joke and nothing to seriously analyze or enjoy.
June 28, 2019 @ 8:49 am
Under Tennessee Law, the widow is entitled to 40% of the estate. Stop making stupid comments. Just went through this with my husband’s late father’s 4th wife. She made out like a bandit but was extremely hateful to my husband. Money changes people, seen it with my own eyes.
August 23, 2019 @ 8:17 pm
There is no one to blame for this mess other then Conway himself;he should have had a proper will & estate plan in place with the fortune he left behind;what did he think would happen.He willing married the third wife & she was entitled as well as his 4 children.
September 3, 2019 @ 12:42 pm
Conway is my #1 singer and do feel sorry for Mickey as she was married for such a long time to him. Don’t know what he was thinking but he sure left with a mess on their hand. Twitty City should have gone to the kids. I will never understand why he left Mickey as there had to be a lot of love there but sometimes after being married so long, you think a new love will be better. I still play his music and listening to him right now, can really relate to his songs. I do know right before he died and didn’t arrive home as he died, he called his daughter to tell her to help Mickey move back home. I do wonder what he meant but we will never know.
December 24, 2019 @ 8:15 pm
I too wonder why he wanted MIckey to move back home. Why would he care after these years. Did he realize he made a mistake. Maybe some in his band that travelled with him know.
January 26, 2020 @ 10:16 pm
Does anyone know if Dee remarried ? And does anyone know where she is living.
April 20, 2020 @ 9:22 pm
I was trying to find out myself. Dee.has 3 half sisters who would like to get in touch with her. The oldest talked to Dee a year after there dad passed but didn’t got any information.
April 28, 2024 @ 8:10 pm
Your crazy She is a selfish ass Bitch,and shouldn’t gotten a damn penny from Conway,but one of men was in charge was most like sleep with the Bitch,that’s why Conways Kuds lost well Karma will bite the both of them dead in their no good asses
October 18, 2020 @ 8:12 pm
So I’m reading these messages & wondering can you still visit the grounds of the former Twitty city? & is it lit up in Christmas lights around the holidays?
February 28, 2023 @ 4:51 pm
You can, if you get tickets to see the Huckabee Show. I dont think they do the lights anymore either. There is really nothing about the place that makes you think of Conway anymore. When Jan & Paul Crouch were alive, owners of TBN, they kept some of his things in the gift shop, and you could tour the mansion for free. But Matt, their son pretty much wrecked all that. I was able to buy the genealogy book Conway did of the family line, they kept it in the Gift shop. My husband wanted it because their grandmothers were sisters and his mother is listed in the book.
Im not sure if it was part of the deal to keep things in the gift shop or they did it in honor of him. I can tell you one of the saddest things I ever saw was to drive by there and the sign saying “Good Bye Darliin”. Truly was sad.
February 15, 2022 @ 11:59 pm
I think they give her a hard time because they were spoiled brats
December 20, 2022 @ 8:14 pm
i hope that bitch dies a slow painful death someday.
December 20, 2022 @ 8:15 pm
she should be ashamed
February 28, 2023 @ 2:17 am
I have lived close by and worked at TBN. They did indeed give tours up until the Crouchs passed away and Matt, the son took over TBN. I was baptized in the pool right in front of the mansion. The grounds were beautiful. I was going to go in the mansion one day but a group went in before me, I was tired and went home. I never did go in the mansion. But I don’t think it was anything super special. TBN was already going thru a shaking in itself.
I’ve heard the debates for years about who should have gotten what out of Twitty City. The truth is, Conway should have made it abundantly clear what he wanted for Dee and his children. I cant speak for their character but I do believe Dee as the spouse and it should have been hers UNLESS Conway had an airtight will, which he failed to do. I loved Twitty’s music but more than that I loved his singing partner , Loretta Lynn!
Mike Huckabee now does all of his shows in the auditorium , its been completely revamped. There are no services there anymore, just Mike. And honestly, the property managers on that property should be fired! They are or was employed by TBN and have caused a lot of problems on that property.
May 2, 2023 @ 1:13 am
So very sorry to hear Twitty City closed, would have been nice if they could have worked things out, than we all could have benefited ????