Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Background information
Birth name	Roy Kelton Orbison
Born	April 23, 1936(1936-04-23) Vernon, Texas, USA
Died	6 December 1988 (aged 52) Hendersonville, Tennessee, USA
Genre(s)	Rock, Pop
Occupation(s)	Musician, Songwriter
Instrument(s)	Guitar, Vocals
Voice type(s)	Tenor
Years active	1954 – 1988
Associated acts	Traveling Wilburys

Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988), nicknamed "The Big O," was an influential Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, guitarist and a pioneer of rock and roll whose recording career spanned more than four decades. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Vernon is a city in Wilbarger County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census the population was 11660 it was 11077 in the 2005 census estimate Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Hendersonville is a city in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, on Old Hickory Lake. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles A voice type is a particular kind of human Singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics The tenor is the highest male voice within the Modal register, just above the Baritone voice Traveling Wilburys was a supergroup consisting of George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Orbison is best known for the songs, "Ooby Dooby," "Only the Lonely," "In Dreams," "Oh, Pretty Woman," "Crying," "Running Scared," and "You Got It". " Only the Lonely (Know The Way I Feel " is a 1960 song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. " In Dreams " is a song composed and sung by American Rock and roll performer Roy Orbison. " Oh Pretty Woman " is a song released in 1964, which was a worldwide hit for Roy Orbison. " Crying " is a Rock and roll ballad written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison " Running Scared " is a 1961 American pop song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison " You Got It " is a song and single from Roy Orbison 's 1989 album Mystery Girl. He is known for his smooth tenor voice, which could jump three octaves with little trouble. He was rarely seen on stage without his trademark black sunglasses. In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 1989, he was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. See also Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 Events The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989 The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music.

Biography

Early life and career

Orbison was born in Vernon, the seat of Wilbarger County in north Texas. Vernon is a city in Wilbarger County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census the population was 11660 it was 11077 in the 2005 census estimate Wilbarger County is a County located in the US state of Texas. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. He was the second son of Nadine Shults and Orbie Lee Orbison. His family moved to Fort Worth about 1943 to find work in the munitions and aircraft factories which had expanded during the Second World War. Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ammunition, often referred to as ammo, is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including They relocated to the West Texas oil town of Wink in Winkler County near the border of New Mexico, in late 1946. West Texas is a region in Texas that has more in common geographically with the Southwestern United States than it does with the rest of the state Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Wink is a city in Winkler County, Texas, United States. The population was 1290 at the 2007 census Winkler County is a County located in the US state of Texas. In of 2000 its population was 7173 New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Music became an important part of Orbison's family life. In 1949, at the age of thirteen, Orbison organized his first band "The Wink Westerners". Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. When not singing with the band, he played guitar and wrote songs. The band appeared weekly on KERB radio in Kermit, Texas. Kermit is a city in Winkler County, Texas, United States. The population was 5443 at the 2007 census Orbison graduated from Wink High School in 1954. He attended North Texas State College in Denton, Texas for a year, then enrolled at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, the following year to study history and English. Denton is the County seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Washington State University ( WSU) is an American public Research university in Pullman, Washington. Pullman is a city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of Literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U The Wink Westerners had some success on local television, and were given 30 minute weekly shows on KMID and KOSA. KMID is the ABC affiliate in Midland - Odessa, Texas, owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group headquartered in Irving One guest on their show was Johnny Cash, who advised them to seek a contract with his record producer Sam Phillips of Sun Records. Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter. In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing Samuel Cornelius Phillips ( January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003) better known as Sam Phillips, was an American Sun Records was a Record label based in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27 1952. At first, Phillips turned them down, but he eventually agreed to add the band to Sun Records' roster after hearing a recording made at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Clovis is a City in and the County seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States The Wink Westerners were renamed "The Teen Kings", and Orbison left college in March of 1956, determined to have a career in music. He ultimately headed for Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis is a City in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the County seat of Shelby County.

Orbison achieved his first commercial success in June 1956 with "Ooby Dooby", written by Orbison's friends from college, and produced at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Events The Malt Shop Era Begins With Love Is Strange By Mickey & Sylvia January 1 - Blue Suede Shoes Norman Petty ( May 25, 1927 – August 15, 1984) was an American musician songwriter and pioneer Record producer Many of the earliest songs he recorded were produced by Sam Phillips, who also produced Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley. Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935) is an American Rock and roll and Country music Singer, Songwriter Carl Lee Perkins ( April 9, 1932 &ndash January 19, 1998) was an American pioneer of Rockabilly music a mix of Rhythm Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter. Named after his first wife, his song "Claudette" was recorded by the Everly Brothers as the b-side to their No. The Everly Brothers ( Don Everly, born Isaac Donald Everly February 1 1937 Brownie Muhlenberg County, Kentucky A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch Vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s 1 hit, "All I Have To Do Is Dream". " All I Have to Do Is Dream " is a popular Song made famous by the Everly Brothers written by the legendary husband and wife songwriting team Felice The rockabilly and blues sound of Sun's artists brought Orbison little success and his career seemed over, although fans of rockabilly count his records among the best of this genre. Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression He worked at Acuff-Rose Music in Nashville, Tennessee as a songwriter, and then was given a contract by RCA. Acuff-Rose Music was an American Music Publishing firm headquartered in Nashville Tennessee. RCA Corporation, founded as Radio Corporation of America, was an electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986 Eventually, Chet Atkins referred him to Fred Foster, the owner of Monument Records, where he moved after his contract with RCA ended in 1959. Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins ( June 20, 1924 &ndash June 30, 2001) was an influential Guitarist and Record producer Fred Luther Foster (born July 26, 1931) is an American Songwriter, Record producer, and founder of Monument Records. Monument Records was a Record label founded in 1958 by Fred Foster and Bob Moore.

Breakthrough

In 1957, Orbison met songwriter Joe Melson in Odessa, Texas. Joe Melson (born May 1935 is an American Singer and a BMI award winning Songwriter. Odessa is a city in Ector and Midland Counties in the US state of Texas. After hearing a song Melson had written entitled "Raindrops", which featured melodic twists and lyrical styling, Roy soon asked him to write with him. Together they created a sound unheard of in rock and roll at the time: the dramatic rock ballad. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African The term " power ballad " is a Colloquialism used to describe a type of Song performed (but not necessarily written by a Hard rock or Fred Foster liked the new direction and assisted with the writing team's vision. Roy's first record, "Uptown", was moderately successful. With the release of "Only the Lonely" and its immediate rise to the top of the charts (#2 in the US, #1 in the UK), he went on to become an international rock and roll star. His single, "Runnin' Scared" became a US #1 hit. Later, Roy wrote many songs with writer Bill Dees including "Oh, Pretty Woman" which may be the most well-known song of Roy's career. William "Bill" Dees (born January 24, 1939) is an American musician most famous for his song writing collaborations with legendary singer Roy Orbison " Oh Pretty Woman " is a song released in 1964, which was a worldwide hit for Roy Orbison. Throughout his stay at Monument Records, his backup band was a group of studio musicians led by Bob Moore. Monument Records was a Record label founded in 1958 by Fred Foster and Bob Moore. For the football player of the same name see Bob Moore (American football. The play of Orbison's voice against the dynamic, yet uncluttered sound of the band gave Orbison's records a unique and identifiable sound. He also encouraged Foster to record songs for Virgil Johnson's pre doo-wop group, The Velvets. Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based Rhythm and blues music which developed in African-American communities in the 1940s and which achieved mainstream popularity both in the 1950s The Velvets were an American Doo wop group from Odessa in Ector County in west Texas.

Orbison was a powerful influence on contemporaries such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 In 1963, he headlined a European tour with The Beatles. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 He became lifelong friends with the band, especially John Lennon and George Harrison. John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born George Harrison, MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001 was an English rock Guitarist Singer - Songwriter, Author Orbison would later record with Harrison in the Traveling Wilburys. Traveling Wilburys was a supergroup consisting of George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. During their tour of Europe, Orbison encouraged the Beatles to come to the United States. When they toured America, they asked Orbison to manage their tour, but his schedule forced him to decline.

Unlike many artists, Orbison maintained his success as the British Invasion swept America in 1964. The British Invasion was the term applied by the news media — and subsequently by consumers — to the influx of Rock and roll, beat and pop performers Events January 1 - Top of the Pops premieres on BBC television His single, "Oh, Pretty Woman", broke the Beatles stranglehold on the Top 10, soaring to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and No. These are the Billboard magazine Hot 100 number one hits of 1964. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry 1 on the British charts. The record sold more copies in its first ten days of release than any single up to that time, and eventually sold over seven million copies. A gramophone The song later became the signature tune for the film Pretty Woman, named for his song, which brought fame to actress Julia Roberts. Pretty Woman is a 1990 Romantic comedy film. The film centers around the titular character down-on-her-luck Prostitute Vivian Ward ( Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28 1967 is an American - Academy Award winning Film actress and former Fashion model.

Orbison toured with The Beach Boys in 1964, and with The Rolling Stones in Australia in 1965. The Beach Boys is an American rock band Formed in 1961 the group gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a California Youth culture For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. He was successful in England, logging three No.1 hit singles and was voted top male vocalist of the year several times. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This is a list of the number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, during the 1960s.

Career decline in North America

Orbison signed a contract with MGM Records in 1965, and starred in MGM Studios' western-musical motion picture The Fastest Guitar Alive, in which he performed several songs from an album of the same name. MGM Records was a Record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film studio in 1946 The Fastest Guitar Alive is a 1967 MGM Motion picture starring singer Roy Orbison in his only starring role as an actor Possibly due to changes in musical taste, he had no hits in the U. S. after 1967. He remained popular elsewhere, but his American popularity did not recover until the 1980s.

Success outside North America

Songs that had limited success in North America, such as "Penny Arcade" and "Working for the Man" would go to No. 1 on the Australian charts, and "Too Soon to Know" went to No. 3 in England. His popularity extended to Germany, and he recorded his hit song "Mama" in German. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. His records were in great demand on the "black market" behind the Iron Curtain. The " Iron Curtain " was the symbolic ideological and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II until the end In France, he was viewed as the master of the ballad of lost love in the vein of that country's most popular singer Édith Piaf. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Édith Piaf (December 19 1915&mdashOctober 10 1963 was a French singer and cultural icon who "is almost universally regarded as France's greatest popular singer A cover version of Orbison's "Blue Bayou" sung in French by Mireille Mathieu went to the top of France's record charts. Mireille Mathieu (miʁɛj maˈtjø in French (born July 22, 1946) is a French Singer. Fans in the Netherlands founded his largest world-wide fan club. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands He continued to perform in Ireland, despite the constant terrorist activities in Northern Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of In 1972, Orbison covered the popular Irish anthem, "Danny Boy", featured on his album, Memphis. Events January 17 - Highway 51 South in Memphis Tennessee is renamed " Elvis Presley Blvd" January 20 - Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the entire island of Ireland, North and South of the border " Danny Boy " is a song whose lyrics are set to the Irish tune Londonderry Air. Memphis is an Album recorded by Roy Orbison for MGM Records. The album was released in November 1972.

In Britain, Orbison had no hit singles during the 1970s, although compilation albums of his past material always sold well (with the 1975 release "The Best of Roy Orbison" hitting the #1 spot). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This trend continues to this day. (For example the 2001 collection "Love Songs" reached #4).

Career in the 1970s

In 1973, Orbison's contract with MGM ended and he signed with Mercury Records soon after. Mercury Records is a Record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Music Group in the US and are both subsidiaries of He released a country style album on the label entitled I'm Still In Love With You. The original liner notes said how Orbison's career was suffering, and mentioned his lack of hits in the States. According to these liner notes, that was to change with the release of the songs on the album. The song, "Sweet Mama Blue", was a single from the album, but it failed to chart.

In 1976, Orbison re-signed with Monument Records, hoping to revive his career. Orbison re-teamed with Fred Foster for the album Regeneration. The album failed to make an impact with the public, and despite having enough material for another album to be released, Orbison asked Foster to be released from his contract in 1978.

In 1977, multi-Grammy winning vocalist Linda Ronstadt included "Blue Bayou" in her triple-platinum album Simple Dreams. Events Bohemian Rhapsody is named 'The Best Single Of The Last 25 Years' by BPI. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15 1946 in Tucson Arizona) is an American popular vocalist and Entertainer whose vocal styles in a variety " Blue Bayou " is the title of a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison and also made popular by vocalist Linda Ronstadt Simple Dreams is the most successful of Linda Ronstadt 's studio albums to date spending five weeks at No The single reached No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Ronstadt's interpretation of "Blue Bayou" is Orbison's greatest commercial songwriting success, with the single having reported sales of over 7 million copies worldwide.

Orbison continued to tour heavily in the late 1970s, and at times, non-stop for weeks at a time. That all came to a halt in late 1977 when he discovered that he needed open heart surgery following a heart attack at the age of 41. Cardiac surgery is Surgery on the Heart and/or Great vessels performed by a Cardiac surgeon. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply On January 18, 1978, Orbison underwent an operation and had a new lease on life. Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Over the next decade, his voice and music would become as big as, if not bigger than in the early 1960s.

Orbison's last contract in the 1970s came in 1979, with Elektra/Asylum Records where he finished the album Laminar Flow. The album was a new direction for him, as it was his attempt at doing disco. Disco is a Genre of dance-oriented music whose origins are hard to define The album also features a tribute song to Elvis Presley, who died in 1977, "Hound Dog Man". Presley was a fan of Orbison's and during a show in Las Vegas in 1976, he called Orbison "the greatest singer in the world" ^[1]According to Orbison's brother, Sam Orbison, Roy was "saddened by the sordid treatment of Elvis Presley in the aftermath of his death in 1977". Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally ^[2]

Resurgence in the 1980s

In 1980, Orbison teamed with Emmylou Harris for the song "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again". Events January January 1 - The year starts off with a strong Disco backlash which causes the majority of musicians to abandon the use of real instruments Emmylou Harris (born April 2 1947) is an American country, folk, alternative rock, and Alternative country The song would go on to win the 1981 Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was first awarded in 1970 In 1985, Orbison recorded "Wild Hearts" for the Nicolas Roeg film Insignificance, released on the ZTT Records label, produced by David Briggs and Will Jennings. Events January January 28 - Various artists, under the group name USA For Africa, including Ray Charles Nicolas Jack Roeg, BSC (born August 15, 1928 in London) is an English Cinematographer and Film director. Insignificance is a 1985 Motion picture drama/comedy directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas and Alexander ZTT Records is a Record label founded in 1983 by NME journalist Paul Morley, record producer Trevor Horn, producer/engineer Will Jennings born Wilbur Jennings in 1944 Kilgore Texas is a prolific and highly successful American Songwriter. The inclusion of "In Dreams" in the 1986 David Lynch film Blue Velvet also aided Orbison's return to popularity. Events April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries David Keith Lynch (born January 20 1946 is an American director, Screenwriter, producer, painter, Cartoonist, Composer Blue Velvet is a 1986 American Mystery film, written and directed by David Lynch, that exhibits elements of both Film noir He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, with the induction speech made by Bruce Springsteen (who had famously referenced Orbison and "Only the Lonely" in his 1975 song "Thunder Road"). The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States Events January 2 - New York City US District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers History The song underwent considerable evolution as it was written with an early version titled "Wings For Wheels" first performed at The Main Point in Bryn His pioneering contribution was also recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. The Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on March 21, 1997 to present early Rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities

Having signed a recording contract for the first time in 10 years, with Virgin Records, he re-recorded his 1961 hit song "Crying" as a duet with k.d. lang in 1987 for the soundtrack of the motion picture Hiding Out. Virgin Records is a British Record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell " Crying " is a Rock and roll ballad written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison kd lang, OC (born Kathryn Dawn Lang, November 2, 1961) is a Grammy Award -winning Canadian Singer and See also Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 Events Hiding Out is a 1987 movie starring Jon Cryer as a Wall Street broker "hiding out" as a high-school student as the mob tries to kill The song would earn the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. The Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals was first awarded in 1988

In 1988, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night, a black-and-white HBO television special was recorded at the Coconut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. This is a list of notable events in Music that took place in the year 1988. Roy Orbison and Friends A Black and White Night is an acclaimed 1988 Cinemax television special originally broadcast on January 3 1988 on HBO starring The Ambassador Hotel was a landmark hotel in Los Angeles California and location of the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Orbison was accompanied by a who's-who supporting cast organized by musical director T-Bone Burnett. T-Bone Burnett is an American songwriter musician and producer All were fans and all were volunteers who lobbied to participate. On piano was Glen Hardin, who played for Buddy Holly as well as Elvis Presley for several years. Glen D Hardin is an American Musician / Piano player who was born on April 18, 1939 in Wellington Texas. Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (September 7 1936 – February 3 1959 was an American Singer-songwriter and a pioneer of Rock and roll. Lead guitarist James Burton had also played with Presley and Ricky Nelson. James Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Minden Louisiana) is an American Guitarist. Male background vocals, with some also playing the guitar or piano, came from Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther and Steven Soles. Thomas Alan Waits (born 7 December 1949) is an American Singer-songwriter, Composer, and Actor. Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus 25 August 1954 is an English Musician and Singer-songwriter, with Irish ancestry Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is a German -born American rock Singer-songwriter and Musician. JD Souther (born John David Souther, November 2, 1945 in Detroit Michigan and raised in Amarillo, Texas) is a Country Steven Soles is an American Singer-songwriter, Record producer, and Guitarist Known also as J A "million-dollar" trio of Jennifer Warnes, k.d. Lang and Bonnie Raitt provided female background vocals. Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3 1947 in Seattle, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter kd lang, OC (born Kathryn Dawn Lang, November 2, 1961) is a Grammy Award -winning Canadian Singer and Bonnie Lynn Raitt (born November 8, 1949) is an American Blues Singer-songwriter who was born in Burbank, California He was also joined by keyboardist Michael Utley, a long time member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. James William "Jimmy" Buffett (born December 25 1946) is a Singer, Songwriter, Author, Businessman, and recently The Coral Reefer Band is the touring and recording band of American Popular music Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. All members of this first-class group of supporting artists displayed great respect and admiration for Roy. This TV special performance brought Orbison to the attention of a younger generation.

Shortly after this critically acclaimed performance, while working with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra on tracks for a new album, Orbison joined Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty to form the Traveling Wilburys, achieving substantial commercial and critical success. Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947 in Shard End, Birmingham) is a Grammy Award -winning English rock Songwriter Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major George Harrison, MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001 was an English rock Guitarist Singer - Songwriter, Author Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947 in Shard End, Birmingham) is a Grammy Award -winning English rock Songwriter Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty (born October 20 1950 is an American singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Traveling Wilburys was a supergroup consisting of George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. He subsequently recorded a new solo album, Mystery Girl, produced by Orbison, Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers) and Jeff Lynne. Mystery Girl is the last Record album made by Roy Orbison, posthumously released on the Virgin label in 1989 Michael (Mike Wayne Campbell (born February 1 1950 in Panama City FL in the U Heartbreakers is a 2001 caper - Romantic comedy Film directed by David Mirkin. Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947 in Shard End, Birmingham) is a Grammy Award -winning English rock Songwriter It included one track by U2's Bono (who also wears trademark dark glasses and co-wrote the song "She's a Mystery to Me" with the Edge specifically for Orbison). David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961 in Barking, East London) more widely known by his Moniker The Edge, is a Musician known best At an awards ceremony in Antwerp a few days before his death, Roy Orbison gave his only public rendition of the hit "You Got It" to the applause of a huge crowd. ||-||-||-||} Antwerp ( Dutch:, French: Anvers) is a City and Municipality in Belgium and the capital of the " You Got It " is a song and single from Roy Orbison 's 1989 album Mystery Girl.

Roy came back to America and played his last show for 1988 in Highland Heights, Ohio. Highland Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio in the United States. He had big European and American tours planned out already for the next year.

Death

Orbison headed down to Nashville on 4 December and on Tuesday, 6 December, spent time shopping for model airplane parts and flying them, but during the afternoon he complained of chest pains. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev He collapsed at his mother's house just before midnight. At 52 years of age, the singer was reported dead at 11:54 pm on 6 December 1988. Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) He had suffered a massive heart attack. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply ^[3]

Personal life

Orbison endured a great deal of tragedy in his relatively short life. His first wife, Claudette Frady, died in a motorcycle accident on June 6, 1966 in Gallatin, Tennessee. MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Gallatin is a city located on a navigable tributary of the Cumberland River in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States. On September 14, 1968, the Orbison family home at Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tennessee, burned to the ground while Orbison was touring in England. Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Old Hickory Lake is a man-made Lake in north central Tennessee. Hendersonville is a city in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, on Old Hickory Lake. Two of his three sons, Roy Jr. (b. 1958) and Anthony (b. 1962), died in the fire. His youngest son Wesley, who was three at the time, was saved by Orbison's parents.

Orbison met his second wife Barbara in August 1968 in Batley, West Yorkshire, England. Barbara Annemarie Wellhonen Jakobs-Orbison (born 1951 in Bielefeld, Germany) is a music producer and publisher and the widow of American Batley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. They were married in Nashville on May 5, 1969, and built a new house one block away from where Roy's old house had once stood. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The family moved to Malibu, California in 1985. Malibu is an incorporated city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. They had two sons, Roy Kelton Orbison, Jr. born in 1970 and Alexander "Orbi" Lee Orbison born in 1975. "Orbi" is a drummer with the band Whitestarr. Whitestarr is an American Rock band from Malibu, California. The band has garnered attention owing to the members' relationships and to

At the direction of his wife Barbara, Orbison was interred at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, California on December 15, 1988. The Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles, California. Westwood is a district in western Los Angeles, California, United States. Events 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) His two sons and their mother Claudette, who predeceased him, had been laid to rest at his request in the Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville. Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 660 Thompson Lane in Nashville, Tennessee.

Orbison's album, Mystery Girl, and the single, "You Got It," were posthumous hits. " You Got It " is a song and single from Roy Orbison 's 1989 album Mystery Girl. At the time of his death, he was the first person since Elvis Presley to have two albums in the top 5 (Mystery Girl and Traveling Wilburys). He was the posthumous winner of the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and in 1992, the tracks "I Drove All Night" and "Heartbreak Radio" appeared on the posthumous album, King of Hearts, produced by Jeff Lynne. The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance has been awarded since 1966. This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992 " I Drove All Night " is a song written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly for Roy Orbison. King of Hearts is a posthumous music cassette of Roy Orbison songs put together from master sessions and demos by Jeff Lynne Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947 in Shard End, Birmingham) is a Grammy Award -winning English rock Songwriter

Legacy

Orbison is remembered for his ballads of lost love, and in the music community he is revered for his song writing ability. Record producer and Orbison fan Don Was, commenting on Orbison's writing skills, said: "He defied the rules of modern composition". Don Was (born Don Fagenson; September 13, 1952) is an American Musician, bassist and Record producer. Songwriters such as Elton John and Bernie Taupin along with many others referred to Orbison as "far ahead of the times, creating lyrics and music in a manner that broke with all traditions". Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 is an English pop / rock Singer, Composer Bernie Taupin (born 22 May 1950 is an English Lyricist most famous for his collaboration with Elton John. Roy Orbison's vocal range was impressive (four octaves), his voice effortlessly powerful, and his songs were melodically and rhythmically advanced and lyrically sophisticated, often incorporating the bolero form. In Music, an octave ( is the the use of which is "common in most musical systems Bolero is a name given to more than one type of Latin-American music and its associated dance and song

• Three songs written and recorded by Orbison, "Only The Lonely", "Oh, Pretty Woman" and "Crying" are in the Grammy Hall of Fame. " Only the Lonely (Know The Way I Feel " is a 1960 song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. " Oh Pretty Woman " is a song released in 1964, which was a worldwide hit for Roy Orbison. " Crying " is a Rock and roll ballad written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison The Grammy Hall of Fame Award is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative

• In 1989, Orbison was inducted posthumously into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music.

• In 1998, Orbison was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who during their lifetimes have made creative contributions of outstanding

• In 2004, Rolling Stone named those three songs plus "In Dreams" on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published " In Dreams " is a song composed and sung by American Rock and roll performer Roy Orbison. The same year, the magazine ranked him #37 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. ^[4]

• Bob Dylan, later a band mate of Orbison's in the Traveling Wilburys, wrote "Orbison … transcended all the genres. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major Traveling Wilburys was a supergroup consisting of George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. … With Roy, you didn't know if you were listening to mariachi or opera. MARIACHI, the Mixed Apparatus for Radar Investigation of Cosmic-rays of High Ionization, is an apparatus for the detection of Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto He kept you on your toes. … [He sang] his compositions in three or four octaves that made you want to drive your car over a cliff. In Music, an octave ( is the the use of which is "common in most musical systems He sang like a professional criminal. … His voice could jar a corpse, always leave you muttering to yourself something like, 'Man, I don't believe it'. His songs had songs within songs. Orbison was deadly serious–no pollywog and no fledgling juvenile. There wasn't anything else on the radio like him".

In 2006, Orbison was remembered with a new book that fans from around the world came together and wrote with main author Chris O'Neil. The book titled Straight From Our Hearts was a hit among fans on both sides of the Atlantic and Barbara Orbison has asked for a copy to keep at the Orbison office located in Nashville. The book was a series of stories from fans describing how Roy impacted their lives and many tributes were also contained in the book. On December 7th, it was announced that a second volume of the book would be published. It is set to be released in 2008, which will mark the 20th anniversary of Roy's passing. In addition to the book, a CD, The Essential Roy Orbison, was released to huge fan praise; it contained many rare songs including "Life Fades Away", which was previously only available on the long-out-of-print soundtrack to Less Than Zero. Less Than Zero is a 1987 film based on the novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. The collection charted into the top ten in seven countries, and has opened the door to upcoming releases of unheard Orbison material that fans have been longing for.

• In addition to Roy's many commercial releases, there have been many bootlegged releases that have surfaced over the years. A bootleg recording is an audio and/or Video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority One of the most popular Orbison bootlegs is the 1981 recording of his "Country Club" concert,

• On June 12, 2007, The Traveling Wilburys Collection box set was released worldwide to huge sales topping over one million copies. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Traveling Wilburys Collection is a 2007 Box set Compilation album comprising both albums by the Traveling Wilburys, a A box set (sometimes referred to as a boxed set) is a compilation of various musical recordings Films Television programs or other collection It was also the first time in more than ten years that the original masters were available.

• A reissue of Orbison's last two studio albums, Mystery Girl and King of Hearts, are slated for release on October 23, 2007. Mystery Girl is the last Record album made by Roy Orbison, posthumously released on the Virgin label in 1989 King of Hearts is a posthumous music cassette of Roy Orbison songs put together from master sessions and demos by Jeff Lynne Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It will be the first time in more than fifteen years that King of Hearts will be available again to the public.

In popular culture

• The song "Please Please Me" by The Beatles was inspired by "Only the Lonely" as Paul and John explained it in the The Beatles Anthology series. " Please Please Me " is the second single released by the The Beatles in the UK and the first to be issued in the US The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 " Only the Lonely (Know The Way I Feel " is a 1960 song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942 is an English rock Singer, Bass guitarist songwriter Composer, John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born The Beatles Anthology is the name of a documentary series a series of three albums and a book all of which focus on the history of The Beatles.

• k.d. Lang lent her vocals in a remake of the 1961 classic, "Crying". kd lang, OC (born Kathryn Dawn Lang, November 2, 1961) is a Grammy Award -winning Canadian Singer and " Crying " is a Rock and roll ballad written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison

• Orbison performed "Oh, Pretty Woman" in the Season 3 Dukes of Hazzard episode, "The Great Hazzard Hijack". " Oh Pretty Woman " is a song released in 1964, which was a worldwide hit for Roy Orbison. The Dukes of Hazzard is an American Television series that originally aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.

• His posthumously-released music video for "I Drove All Night" featured Jennifer Connelly and Jason Priestley. " I Drove All Night " is a song written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly for Roy Orbison. Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12 1970 is an American film actress and former child model. Jason Bradford Priestley (born August 28, 1969) is a Canadian-born American Actor and Film director.

• Roy contributed very recognizable backup vocals on the Jimmy Buffett song "Beyond the End" from the album Last Mango in Paris. James William "Jimmy" Buffett (born December 25 1946) is a Singer, Songwriter, Author, Businessman, and recently

Discography

Main article: Roy Orbison discography

See also

• Video and televised feature performances:
• 1972: Roy Orbison - Live from Australia
• 1982: Live at Austin City Limits
• 1987: Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night
• 1999: In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story

Notes

References

• Colin Escott, Roadkill on the Three-Chord Highway. Routledge, 2002. ISBN 0-415-93783-3 — has a chapter devoted to Orbison.
• Escott, Colin. (1998). "Roy Orbison". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 395.
• Biography from the official website
• Roy Orbison at the Songwriters Hall of Fame
• Biography from the [hotshotdigital. The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. com]

External links

• Roy Orbison website
• CMT's tribute to Roy Contains a music video section that contains the entire "Diamond Career Awards" from 11-18-88, and also several rare videos "Heartbreak Radio" and "Walk On"
• Daily Telegraph article by Julian Lloyd Webber

• Traveling Wilburys website
• The White Book - The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era
• 1975 Roy Orbison phone interview with Ronnie Allen (researcher for Casey Kasem)

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