Why Conway Twitty Never Had a Number One Hit with ‘Home is Where My Heart Is’

Why Conway Twitty Never Had a Number One Hit

with ‘Home is Where My Heart Is’

by Bill Russo

The short answer is, Conway never recorded the beautiful song I wrote for him back in 1979.  Well, he almost did.  Okay now you know the deal, so you don’t have to read the rest of this blog. But I hope you will.

I always wanted to write songs and stories.  Back in the Fifth Grade at Hardie Elementary School in Beverly, Mass. my pal Leo Lemieux and I wrote a series of silly stories about a hero named “Beanblossom”.

We told “Beanblossom” stories to anyone who’d listen.  Sometimes we’d get to spin our yarns in front of the class.  Beanblossom was a raggedy kid who had to wear his older brother’s hand-me-down clothes.  He constantly got into trouble and mischief, but invariably by the end of the story,  succeeded in dealing with whatever problems Leo and I set up for him.  

The Hardie School, Essex St. Beverly, Mass.  The stage and auditorium are on the 3rd. floor

A few years later I began sending stories to publications like ‘Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine’, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Fantastic Story, and others.  Every tale I wrote succeeded - in getting a rejection slip. Impervious to failure, I never stopped writing or trying. 

I began my broadcasting and writing career after graduation from the Huntington Preparatory School in Boston and Grahm Jr. College in Kenmore Square. 

Some time later, I also took courses at Fisher College, Arlington Street, Boston; and Bristol Community College, just outside of Providence, Rhode Island. 

Local radio was a big deal back in the late 1950s and 60s, especially in the morning.  TV was just beginning to rule the airwaves at night, but daytime still belonged to radio. 

I sent out audition tapes and took the very first radio job that was offered to me – in the Nothern-most town in the entire 48 United States.  Actually there were 49 when I got my first radio gig.  Alaska was admitted into the about the same time I started spinning ‘I Get Around’, by the Beach Boys, “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison, and “It’s Only Make Believe”, by Conway Twitty.

That first job was almost 600 miles from my classroom near Fenway Park in Boston.  It was in a border town, called Madawaska, Maine at the very top of sparsely populated Aroostook County.  The town had only 5000 residents but it was “The Hub” of the top of the state. 

Madawaska is at the top of this map, some 200 miles North of Montreal, Canada  Winter temperatures of 40 degrees below zero have been recorded.  In the short summer it can on occasion rise to near 90 above zero. 

On Saturday nights Madawaska filled up with people from a dozen or more nearby villages.  Since there were no restrictions at the border in those days, hundreds of citizens of the larger city of Edmundston, New Brunswick also came to Madawaska frequently for entertainment or to purchase American goods.

Madawaska, as seen from Canada, across the St. John River. Photo by P199 for Wikpedia

  The first week I worked there, the National Hotel’s featured act was Hypnotist Sam Vine, who had appeared the week before on TV’s top rated Sunday night program, the Ed Sullivan Show!  You could look it up.

“Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime,” was Dean Martin’s big 1964 hit and  in Madawaska, Maine and neighboring Edmonston and other towns in Canada, everybody loved the little radio station that spoke English and played American Country Music and Rock, in an area where more than 80 per cent of the population were French speakers!

One day, a somewhat chubby, bleary eyed middle-aged man walked into my studio as I was playing Dick Curless’ huge country hit, a Tombstone Every Mile, about a rough stretch of road up in Maine.

“I’m the new station manager,” he announced.  I used to work at WMEX in Boston,” he claimed.  “I’ll be taking over the morning shift.” 

The new manager, Rick Phillips, contacted the station’s owner and convinced hi that he’d turn the station into a golden goose overnight. Rick Phillips was talented without a doubt.  But the egg he laid in Madawaska was anything but gold.  He made no impact on the station’s sales or listenership. Two months after he arrived, he left.  I can’t swear to what happened in that short period but there was talk that alcohol and women (married?) were involved.  

When I checked with some people in Boston, they said that Rick never worked for WMEX.  There was no question of his talent.  The problem was that his personal life  apparently was in shambles.

Over the years I wondered what happened to Rick Phillips.  In reading an internet story of the great Pirate Radio Stations of London, I saw a photo of one of the leading dee-jays of Radio-London, a hugely successful 'illegal' station operating from a from a former U.S. Navy vessel anchored offshore.  The name listed under the picture was Chuck Blair, but it was the person I knew as Rick Phillips.

A group of radio enthusiasts in England wondered about Chuck Blair, who vanished after the pirate station was shut down by the British Government.  On their website devoted to the Pirate Stations and the on air staff, they had been searching for years for clues as to his real identity.  

I contacted the station and filled them in on who he really was.  You can read the story of the Pirate Radio stations and their search for Chuck Blair/Rick Phillips by clicking this link.  http://www.radiolondon.co.uk/jocks/chuck/wsjr.html

Fast forward again through my work at a few New England radio stations and as editor of Newspapers, including the town papers of Mansfield and Walpole, Massachusetts.

In the 1970s I wrote a number of lyrics for songs and one I thought that one in particular had great potential. In 1979 I decided to contact Boston radio personality Dave Maynard of WBZ about my song.  

Dave was a noted hitmaker who was never afraid to push a song that he liked.  Over his decades at WBZ he made large contributions to the success of a number of hits. He singlehandedly got tremendous national airplay for  Lou Christie’s ‘Beyond the Blue Horizon’ which not only was a hit song but also was featured in the films, “Rain Man” and The Godfather, Part Three.

One early morning, towards two a.m. I called the program and said

“Dave, I’ve written a song for Conway Twitty.  I’d like to say the words to you and see what you think.”

“Go ahead Bill.  Read them to me and I’ll give you my opinion.”

Here then, are the words as I wrote them back in 1979 and as broadcast to 38 states over 50,000 watt WBZ.....

 "Home is Where My Heart Is"

“I know last night you heard me sneak in

It was two a.m. when I creeped in

And when I got beneath the cover,

You could tell that I’d had another

You pretended you were sleepin’

But I heard you’re muffled weepin.

And now in the cold light of mornin’

I know i’ve had my last warnin’

But I’m begging you,

Don’t throw me out again

Cause home is where the heart is

And mine was home by ten

Don’t look for reasons in your mirror,

Just look at me to see who's in error

I know I look at all the pretty flowers

and I’ve picked me quite a few

but honey, no other love’s like ours

that’s why I’m beggin you

Don’t throw me out again

Cause home is where the heart is

And mine was home by ten

(C) Bill Russo 1979 – renewed 2019

After hearing the lyrics Dave said he thought the song had great promise.  “I’ve got an idea,” he said.  “I’m going to call Ed Penney and see what he thinks.  Call me back tomorrow night.”

I was thrilled.  Dave gave me the special direct number, so that I wouldn’t have to wait in the phone queue and directed me to call right after the news at 0200.

Ed Penney was one of a number of Boston Dee Jays who went on to national fame and still kept in touch with old friends like Dave Maynard. Another Boston jock ini the crowd was Joe Smith, who rose to become head of the giant Warner Brothers/Electra/Atlantic label.  In the 1980s and 90s he took over the top spot at Capitol/Emi records.

With all of his connections, if Dave Maynard liked my songs, good things were bound to happen.  On the second night when I called Dave, he had been in touch with Ed Penney.  I read the song lyrics to Ed Penney and he said he thought they had potential.  He said he could definitely picture the song as being a hit for Conway Twitty.

I offered the song lyrics to Ed, asking him to produce the melody. He indicated that if he saw, Conway he’d mention it to him.  Being based in Nashville, I expected there would be a good chance he’d see Conway at the Grand Ol’ Opry or at one of the record company offices. 

Over the next few weeks Dave and I talked a few times but after showing initial interest in the lyrics, Ed Penney decided not to work with me.  He had made a new discovery and it was not me!

Ed discovered a young blind singer who he though had great potential but needed stronger material.  Obviously my song was for a guy and he needed tune for a woman.  He wrote one himself and the rest is history.

He gave the song to the young woman and took over as her manager.  The singer was Terri Gibbs and the song was “Somebody’s Knockin”, a top ten hit.  Managing a red hot touring act was a full time job and he lost interest in my song.

After a short time, Dave Maynard was offered the coveted morning show slot on WBZ and he too forgot about my song.  But I kept pushing.  I showed it to a few singers, but it didn’t fit their style.

In 2016, young David Lipari made the first, and so far the only recording of the tune.  It sold just a few copies. 

Home is Where My Heart Is - Sung by David Lipari Jr. Hear it on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNyHwPCodAc

I’m still expecting this song to be a major hit on the Country and Western Charts.

If you are a singer, please consider using this tune.  Contact me by email at Billrrrrr@yahoo.com.  I answer all emails. 

-0-

Thanks for reading.  My books are on Amazon, Apple, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and many more sites world-wide.  One of my most popular e-books is Ghosts of Cape Cod.  It’s a 99 cent read on Kindle.  Click the link: https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Cape-Cod-Bill-Russo-ebook/dp/B01BL1TP7U