Chart Rewind: In 1986, Conway Twitty Turned Desperation Into a Country No. 1

In 1986, country music legend Conway Twitty achieved a milestone in his illustrious career by topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the first time as a No. 1 hit with "Desperado Love." This marked the conclusion of Twitty's 40-year run of chart-topping titles in the genre. The song was co-written by North Carolina-born Sammy Johns, who had previously found success in the pop charts and later transitioned to country music with his 1975 hit "Chevy Van."

Johns' decision to write about his personal struggles, including the threat of losing his home and turning to alcohol to cope, resulted in a powerful anthem that resonated with Twitty and the country music audience. Released as the lead single from Twitty's "Fallin' for You for Years" album, "Desperado Love" climbed to the top spot on June 7, 1986, and maintained its position for three months.

At the time of its release, Twitty had already surpassed George Strait as the artist with the most No. 1 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart, a record that stood until Strait's 44th No. 1 hit in 2014. Despite "Desperado Love" marking Twitty's final No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, he continued to enjoy success in the genre with eight more top 10 singles, including three No. 2 hits in 1987.

Twitty's career in country music spanned five decades, and he was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 alongside Johnny Bond and Dolly Parton.