Roy Orbison would have been 75

[taabru45]

I didn't realize he was only 52 when he died in '88...what a huge unique talent he was.... Steffan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk
http://www.history-of-rock.com/roy_orbison.htm

 

[killdeer43]

The bio is interesting reading, so thanks for posting that link, Steff.
Roy had one of those distinctive voices that you never mistook for anyone else's.
I remember what a huge juke box hit Pretty Woman was around 1964 and that classic intro alone filled the dance floor every place you went. 8)

Joe

 

[silverfox103]

Yikes, he has been gone a long time. Doesn't seem that long. Pretty Woman was his signature hit. Without looking it up, I think I can remember him from about 1962. As us oldies know, he had a string of #1 hits. He was a giant in the industry. Without thinking about the others, you would have to say he was easily in the top 5 singers of his era (pre Beatles), where he had some heavy weight competion. His life was also tragic, I believe he lost his wife and son in a house fire about 1968. I think there was also another tragic death in his immediate family. Not 100% on this one, but I think he got remarried and his new wife died in a car accident.

You can still catch him on the PBS specials, by himself, with KD Lang or with the traveling Wilbury's.

Thanks for the memories Roy, and Steffan for reminding.

Tom C.

 

[fronobulax]

Not 100% on this one, but I think he got remarried and his new wife died in a car accident.

I think his second wife is still alive. There was a Home Garden TV show that had his widow looking for an apartment in New York City. The sometimes useful Wikipedia entry seems to imply that the former Barbara Wilhonnen Jacobs is still alive as well.

 

[silverfox103]

I just looked it up, I was close. Roy's first wife died in a car crash and he had two sons die in the house fire.

Tom C.

 

[Bikerdoc]

1988? It seems like yesterday. He was absolutely wonderful. I have a few old vinyls of his that I still listen to. Figure on turning vinyl into CD's one of these days.

Thanks for the post.

Peace

 

[taabru45]

For a long time I thought the Everly bros. wrote Claudette....she was the inspiration for that song and Pretty Woman.....the man had a gentle heart with a lot of scars on it....Steffan

 

[dapmdave]

The guy had a great and unique voice. Remember the Traveling Wilburys? I've always thought he sounded the best in that group.

Dave

 

[6L6]

Greatest R&R singing voice in history IMO!

6

 

[fab467]

Deleted

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

The guy had a great and unique voice. Remember the Traveling Wilburys? I've always thought he sounded the best in that group.

Dave

+1

I remember the Traveling Wilburys. I loved that first album from them.

Here's my favorite from Roy's last album, released in February of '89, after his death:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYmIkiaR9oc

Edit: that song was written by Bono, just for Roy.

~nw

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

I didn't realize he was only 52 when he died in '88...what a huge unique talent he was.... Steffan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk
http://www.history-of-rock.com/roy_orbison.htm

Roy's got hisself one HELL of a backing band in that video.

~nw

 

[adorshki]

I like "Dream Baby". Easy to play and you can feel the swamp gas start to rise right there in yer livin' room.