Hendersonville, Tennessee – Many residents and business owners have been left with the arduous task of rebuilding after the devastating Dec. 9 tornado outbreak that swept across Middle Tennessee. Among the structures severely impacted is a famous mansion in Hendersonville, once home to country music icon Conway Twitty. The future of this historic building now hangs in the balance.
Originally constructed in 1982, the mansion holds a special place in the heart of country music history. However, its current state post-tornado is grim. The property, which is now under the ownership of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), suffered significant damage during the EF-2 tornado. This was highlighted during the recent Hendersonville Planning Commission meeting, where TBN leaders expressed their concerns about the structural integrity of the mansion and other buildings on the campus.
Frank Amedia from TBN shared the extent of the damage and its impact on their operations. “We have a hundred staff people – production editors – that are all displaced,” he stated. The tornado not only displaced staff but also compromised the safety of the buildings, with Amedia admitting, “Some are trying to work in a building that’s unsafe right now, to be honest with you. We’re trying to get them out of there quickly.”
The structural damage to the buildings is extensive. Amedia described how the roof of the Huckabee Theater miraculously lifted and then returned to its place during the storm, requiring a complete replacement. Similarly, the mansion’s roof suffered the same fate but with additional twisting, indicating more severe damage.
With such extensive damage, TBN is considering the demolition of the Conway Twitty mansion. This mansion was not just a residence but a key attraction of “Twitty City,” a once-popular tourist spot in Hendersonville. “The mansion, before that, was in bad shape. Now it’s in real bad shape,” Amedia remarked.
As of now, a final decision on whether to demolish this piece of country music history has not been made. The community and fans of Conway Twitty await the fate of the mansion, hoping for a resolution that honors the legacy of the legendary singer.
