Roy-Orbison.com Biography

Date of Birth:
April 23, 1936

Place of Birth:
 Vernon, Texas

Died:
Hendersonville, Tennessee
December 6, 1988

Discography

1961
At the Rockhouse

1962
Crying

1963
In Dreams

1964
Roy Orbison Sings

1964
Exciting Sounds

1964
Special Delivery

1964
Oh Pretty Woman

1965
There Is Only One

1966
Orbisongs

1966
Orbison Way

1967
Cry Softly, Lonely One

1967
Sings Don Gibson

1968
The Fastest Guitar Alive

1969
Many Moods of
Roy Orbison

1970
Big O

1971
Hank Williams
the Roy Orbison Way

1972
Sings

1973
Memphis

1974
Milestones

1976
I'm Still in Love
with You

1976
An Original [Pair]

1976
Focus on Roy Orbison

1977
Regeneration

1979
In Dreams

1983
Laminar Flow

1989
Big O Country

1989
You Got It

1989
A Black & White
Night Live

1989
Our Love Song

1989
Mystery Girl

1992
King of Hearts

1992
I Drove All Night

1994
Sings Lonely and Blue

1995
Shades of Roy Orbison

1996
In Concert [live]

1996
Cover

1997
Live, Vol. 1

1997
Live, Vol. 2

1998
Combo Concert:
1965 Holland [live]

2000
It's Too Late

2001
Live at
Austin City Limits

2001
Live in Alabama


 
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The Most Distinctive Voice In Rock N' Roll
Roy Orbison Biography

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


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