RIP: Dwight Twilley, Power Pop Pioneer and Christmas Music Creator, 72

Dwight Twilley, 1951-2023

 

Power-pop singer-songwriter Dwight Twilley who enjoyed chart success in the 1970s and '80s with the hits "I'm on Fire" and "Girls," died this past Wednesday, October 18, in his native Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 72. According to the Los Angeles Times, Twilley suffered a stroke while driving his car last weekend and sustained serious injuries when the car struck a tree. He died of those injuries four days later.

Interested in music from a young age, Twilley paired up in 1967 with fellow Tulsa resident Phil Seymour, whom he met at a screening of the Beatles' film "A Hard Days Night." The two started writing and playing songs together almost immediately and formed a band they called Oister. They developed a sound that emphasized hooks, harmonies and ringing guitars — a sound that came to be known as "power pop." After meeting with executives at Sun Records in Memphis, they began recording for Shelter Records in Los Angeles. In 1975, Shelter released their song "I'm on Fire" under the name the Dwight Twilley Band, and the song became a surprise hit, reaching #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Unprepared to take advantage of their initial success, their first album was thrown together quickly but not released until late 1976. The follow-up album "Twilley Don't Mind" earned strong reviews but disappointing sales. Seymour left the group in 1979, leaving Twilley to soldier on as a solo performer. While his single "Girls" became an early hit on MTV and also made it to #16 on the Hot 100, subsequent releases failed to match his early success or industry expectations.

Holiday music fans may remember Twilley's 2004 EP "Have a Twilley Christmas," which featured six excellent original holiday tunes. Two of these were included on previous holiday mixes of mine. "Snowman Magic" appears on my 2010 CD "Winder Wonderland," and "Christmas Stars" was included as part of my 2018 mix "My Christmas Time Philosophy." The latter tune is also featured on the special extra mix "21st Century Holiday Classics," which I posted on my holiday music website only yesterday.

I recall buying and enjoying "Twilley Don't Mind" back in 1977. "Looking for the Magic" was among the most frequently played songs on my weekly show on WJHU-FM in Baltimore during the fall of 1978.

Although he never enjoyed the popularity he deserved, Twilley left his mark on popular music. He'll surely be missed this Christmas.