Who is John Wesley Ryles' wife? Family details explored as country star dies at 74

John Wesley Ryles was married to Joni Lee, also famous as Joni Twitty, at the time of his death. Paying tribute to John Wesley Ryles, his nephew wrote on Facebook:

"He was married to my Aunt Joni, and we all loved him like blood. He was an amazing singer, and artist, and an even more amazing man."

Talking about their times, he added:

"He’s told me many stories from that tour and I appreciated every one of them. He was a kind, talented, and loving man, and he will be missed by all of us. Please keep Aunt Joni in your prayers during these trying times….Tre"

Ryles and Lee first connected as fellow musicians in the industry. However, the exact date of their meeting remains unknown. They later toured together in Twitty's European shows, held in 1969, according to Entertainment Now.

Details about John Wesley Ryles' wife, Joni Lee

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Artist & Beloved Session Vocalist John Wesley Ryles Passes At 74

Joni Lee is the daughter of singer Conway Twitty, and just like her husband, John Wesley Ryles, she was also a country singer in the past. Joni was reportedly born in Helena, Arkansas.

Lee dropped her songs under the name Joni Penn, with her famous song being I'm Sorry Charlie. During her career, Lee also recorded a song with her father, originally written for her, titled Don't Cry, Joni. The song was recorded when Lee was reportedly sixteen years old.

Conway Twitty died in 1993 at the age of fifty-nine. Speaking of what her father told her during his last moments, she said in a reported statement:

"It wasn’t just a goodbye… it was a gift. A final gift from a father to his daughter. "

Revealing his last words, she said that her father said to her:

"Joni… don’t chase the stage. Chase the people you love.”"

In an interview with Gator 99.5, Joni Twitty spoke about discovering her father's unreleased 1973 recordings and preparing them for release. Twitty shared that they completed the project at Ricky Skaggs' studio with help from top Nashville musicians and her husband, John Wesley Ryles. Adding to it, she reportedly said in the interview:

"We knew [these musicians] would treat it with the love and respect that we were treating it. I didn't have any doubts about myself; I just wanted to make sure I met the same expectations. But I knew Dad would be proud."

Joni Lee and John Wesley Ryles largely kept their personal life private and away from social media, with only a few details known about them beyond her music career.

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