Introduction
In 1958, Conway Twitty walked into a Nashville recording studio without knowing that a song he barely considered important would soon change the course of his life.
“It’s Only Make Believe” had been written almost casually during an intermission at a performance in Canada. When Twitty recorded it, the song wasn’t even treated as the main attraction. It was placed on the B-side of another single, while the A-side was expected to carry the record.
But the music world had other plans.
When the record was released, the A-side failed to make much of an impression. Twitty reportedly returned home believing the opportunity had come and gone. Then a disc jockey decided to flip the record over—and everything changed.
The supposedly unimportant B-side began receiving airplay. Listeners responded to its emotional melody and Twitty’s unmistakable voice. Week by week, the song gathered momentum until it climbed all the way to No. 1.
Even the rough, distinctive growl in Twitty’s voice almost disappeared from the recording. Yet that very imperfection became part of what made the performance unforgettable.
Looking back, the story feels almost unbelievable. A song written casually, recorded without enormous expectations, placed on a B-side, and nearly forgotten became the breakthrough that helped transform Conway Twitty from a struggling young performer into a lasting musical star.
Sometimes history isn’t made according to plan.
Sometimes the song everyone overlooks is the one that changes everything.
And sometimes, all it takes is one person willing to turn the record over.
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