Like
all early white rockers, Roy Orbison began as a country
singer. By the early 50's he was performing professionally
under the guidance of Norman Petty (later Buddy Holly's
manager), though his break came when Johnny Cash,
then signed to Sun, put him in touch with that label.
Orbison sent a tape of "Ooby Dooby" ("because
that was the kind of material that Sun was releasing
at the time") and got himself a deal.
A rockabilly classic, "Ooby Dooby" was a
hit in 1956, and was followed by several similar records.
Though Orbison's leaning was more towards the ballads
for which he would become famous, these early releases
are worth pursuing; his melodic tenor cuts across
the rock beat with strange grace. Amongst the best
were "Domino", covered by the Cramps, "Problem
Child", and the weird-as-hell "Chicken Hearted",
a raw semi-instrumental in which Orbison boasts of
his cowardice in seemingly the wrong key.
Biography
Continued
