Dwight Allan Twilley (6 June 1951 – 18 October 2023) was an American pop, rock, and power pop singer-songwriter best known for fronting the Dwight Twilley Band and for the group’s 1975 hit single “I’m on Fire.” He was also known for melodic, Beatles-influenced songwriting, including solo and band tracks such as “Remedies.”
Twilley was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and met fellow musician Phil Seymour in 1967 after they both attended a screening of “A Hard Day’s Night.” The two quickly began writing and recording together, forming a long-term creative partnership. In the early 1970s they performed under the name Oister, developing a hook-driven, British Invasion-inspired sound before signing with Shelter Records in 1974 as the Dwight Twilley Band.
Their breakthrough single “I’m on Fire” reached No. 16 on the charts in 1975 despite limited promotion, giving the band early visibility. However, label instability and delayed releases hindered their momentum. The planned follow-up single “Shark” was rejected due to concerns it would be associated with the success of the film “Jaws,” and their debut album “Sincerely” was delayed, ultimately limiting its commercial impact. A second album recorded in England also remained unreleased at the time.
Despite commercial setbacks, Twilley and Seymour gained respect within the music community and collaborated with Tom Petty, contributing backing vocals to his work. Petty also returned the favor by appearing on their 1977 album “Twilley Don’t Mind,” released through Arista Records. Although critically appreciated, the album did not achieve strong sales. Seymour left the band in 1978 and later pursued a brief solo career before his death in 1993.
Twilley continued as a solo artist, releasing “Twilley” (1979) and “Scuba Divers” (1982). He returned to wider attention with “Jungle” (1984), which included the single “Girls,” marking his second chart hit. Later releases included “Wild Dogs” (1986), though it received little commercial attention. Several recordings from earlier periods remained unreleased, including the album “Blueprint” (recorded in 1980), later circulating in various archival forms. He also contributed the song “Why You Want to Break My Heart” to the 1992 “Wayne’s World” soundtrack.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Twilley continued releasing archival and new material, including “Tulsa” (1999), “The Luck” (2001), “47 Moons” (2005), and the holiday EP “Have a Twilley Christmas” (2004). Retrospective and rarities collections such as “The Great Lost Twilley Album” (1993) and “Between the Cracks, Vol. 1” (1999) highlighted his extensive unreleased catalog.
In 2014, he released the album “Always,” featuring collaborations with musicians including Ken Stringfellow and Mitch Easter. Twilley remained active in recording and performing throughout his career, maintaining a reputation as a key figure in American power pop.
