Roy Orbison was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice.
Orbison received his first guitar on his sixth birthday, which sparked his lifelong passion for music.
He formed the band 'Wink Westerners' at the age of 13, marking the beginning of his music career.
Biography
Early Life
Roy Kelton Orbison was born on April 23, 1936, in Vernon, Texas, as the second of three sons to Orbie Lee Orbison and Nadine Vesta Shults. His father, an oil-field driller, struggled to find work during the Great Depression, while his mother had a passion for painting and poetry. The family moved to Fort Worth in 1942, where young Roy received a guitar from his father on his sixth birthday, igniting his lifelong passion for music. Influenced by country and western swing music, he was particularly inspired by artists like Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams, which shaped his unique musical style.
Career
Orbison's music career began in earnest in 1949 when he formed the band "Wink Westerners" with friends, performing at local venues and on radio. His breakthrough came in the early 1960s with hits like "Only the Lonely" and "Crying," showcasing his powerful voice and emotional ballads. Despite a decline in popularity during the 1970s, Orbison made a remarkable comeback in the late 1980s, collaborating with the Traveling Wilburys and releasing the critically acclaimed album "Mystery Girl," which included the hit "You Got It."
Legacy
Roy Orbison's influence on music is profound, with his unique song structures and emotional depth setting him apart from his contemporaries. He earned numerous accolades, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Known as "the Caruso of Rock," his music continues to resonate, and his legacy is preserved by his family through Roy's Boys LLC, which manages his catalog and promotes his work, including posthumous releases and hologram tours.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
King of Hearts1992
- 1.You're the One3:01
- 2.Heartbreak Radio2:58
- 3.We'll Take the Night4:56
- 4.Crying3:49
- 5.After the Love Has Gone4:40
- 6.Love in Time5:32
- 7.I Drove All Night3:47
- 8.Wild Hearts Run Out of Time3:33
- 9.Coming Home4:02
- 10.Careless Heart (original demo)5:15
Blue Blue Day1989
- 1.Blue Blue Day2:04
- 2.Sweet Dreams3:00
- 3.I Give Up2:01
- 4.Too Soon to Know2:46
- 5.Big Hearted Me1:48
- 6.Maybe2:19
- 7.Oh, Such a Stranger4:14
- 8.(Yes), I’m Hurtin’2:11
- 9.A Legend in My Time2:16
- 10.The Same Street3:05
- 11.Lonesome Numer 12:16
- 12.Why Hurt the One Who Loves You2:34
- 13.Give Myself a Party2:25
- 14.It Ain’t No Big Thing2:18
- 15.Far Far Away2:50
- 16.A New Star2:56
- 17.Never2:10
- 18.Go Away2:56
- 19.Breakin’ Up Is Breakin’ My Heart2:06
- 20.This Is My Land3:00
The Legend1989
- 1.Too Soon to Know2:44
- 2.I'm Hurting2:12
- 3.The Loner2:20
- 4.Breaking Up Is Breaking My Heart2:06
- 5.What About Me2:03
- 6.Far Far Away2:06
- 7.Big Hearted Me1:49
- 8.Blue Blue Day2:07
- 9.Sweet Dreams3:00
- 10.Oh, Such a Stranger3:14
- 11.Maybe2:21
- 12.Lonesome Number One2:18
- 13.Why Hurt the One Who Loves You2:35
- 14.Crawlin' Back3:11
- 15.The Same Street2:13
- 16.(I'd Be) A Legend in My Time2:14
Mystery Girl1988
- 1.You Got It3:31
- 2.In the Real World3:44
- 3.(All I Can Do Is) Dream You3:40
- 4.A Love So Beautiful3:33
- 5.California Blue3:58
- 6.She’s a Mystery to Me4:16
- 7.The Comedians3:26
- 8.The Only One3:55
- 9.Windsurfer4:02
- 10.Careless Heart4:08
In Dreams: The Greatest Hits1987
- 1.Only the Lonely2:29
- 2.Leah2:45
- 3.In Dreams2:51
- 4.Uptown2:12
- 5.It's Over2:52
- 6.Crying2:47
- 7.Dream Baby2:50
- 8.Blue Angel2:47
- 9.Working for the Man2:47
- 10.Candy Man2:59
- 11.Running Scared2:13
- 12.Falling2:25
- 13.I'm Hurtin'2:49
- 14.Claudette2:34
- 15.Oh, Pretty Woman3:04
- 16.Mean Woman Blues2:26
- 17.Ooby Dooby2:23
- 18.Lana2:51
- 19.Blue Bayou2:50
Class of ’55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming1986
- 1.Birth of Rock and Roll4:26
- 2.Sixteen Candles3:50
- 3.Class of ’553:01
- 4.Waymore’s Blues2:28
- 5.We Remember the King3:05
- 6.Coming Home4:03
- 7.Rock and Roll (Fais‐Do‐Do)3:21
- 8.Keep My Motor Running2:55
- 9.I Will Rock and Roll With You2:05
- 10.Big Train (From Memphis)7:58
Laminar Flow1979
- 1.Easy Way Out3:24
- 2.Love Is a Cold Wind3:32
- 3.Lay It Down2:47
- 4.I Care3:05
- 5.We’re Into Something Good2:55
- 6.Movin’3:21
- 7.Poor Baby2:50
- 8.Warm Hot Spot2:36
- 9.Tears3:46
- 10.Friday Night3:27
- 11.Hound Dog Man2:37
Regeneration1976
- 1.(I’m a) Southern Man
- 2.No Chain at All
- 3.Old Love Song
- 4.Can’t Wait
- 5.Born to Love Me
- 6.Blues in My Mind
- 7.Something They Can’t Take Away
- 8.Under Suspicion
- 9.I Don’t Really Want You
- 10.Belinda
I’m Still In Love With You1975
- 1.Pledging My Love2:21
- 2.Spanish Nights2:31
- 3.Rainbow Love2:26
- 4.It’s Lonely2:47
- 5.Heartache3:06
- 6.Crying Time2:47
- 7.Still2:33
- 8.Hung Up On You3:26
- 9.Circle2:44
- 10.Sweet Mamma Blue4:08
- 11.All I Need Is Time3:26
Milestones1973
- 1.I Wanna Live2:35
- 2.You Don’t Know Me3:23
- 3.California Sunshine Girl3:36
- 4.Words3:13
- 5.Blue Rain (Coming Down)3:17
- 6.Drift Away3:44
- 7.You Lay So Easy on My Mind2:58
- 8.The World You Live In2:36
- 9.Sweet Caroline3:03
- 10.I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (to Stop Now)3:36
- 11.The Morning After (Song From "The Poseidon Adventure")3:03
Roy Orbison Sings1972
- 1.God Love You2:51
- 2.Beaujolais2:12
- 3.If Only for a While2:24
- 4.Rings of Gold2:32
- 5.Help Me2:48
- 6.Plain Jane Country (Come to Town)2:17
- 7.Harlem Woman3:51
- 8.Cheyenne2:07
- 9.Changes2:07
- 10.It Takes All Kinds of People3:23
- 11.Remember the Good2:54
Memphis1972
- 1.Memphis, Tennessee2:47
- 2.Why a Woman Cries4:07
- 3.Run, Baby, Run (Back Into My Arms)3:19
- 4.Take Care of Your Woman2:46
- 5.I'm the Man on Susie's Mind3:01
- 6.I Can't Stop Loving You2:56
- 7.Run the Engines Up High2:49
- 8.It Ain't No Big Thing (But It's Growing)3:07
- 9.I Fought the Law2:29
- 10.The Three Bells3:46
- 11.Danny Boy5:57
Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way1970
Tracklist not collected yet.
Big O1970
Tracklist not collected yet.
Roy Orbison’s Many Moods1969
Tracklist not collected yet.
Sings Don Gibson1967
Tracklist not collected yet.
Cry Softly Lonely One1967
Tracklist not collected yet.
Live in Melbourne 1967 (Live: Melbourne Festival Hall, Australia January 1967)1967
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Orbison Way1966
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Classic Roy Orbison1966
Tracklist not collected yet.
There Is Only One Roy Orbison1965
Tracklist not collected yet.
In Dreams1963
Tracklist not collected yet.
Crying1962
Tracklist not collected yet.
At the Rock House1961
Tracklist not collected yet.
Lonely and Blue1961
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- PolyGram
- Record label
- Sun Records
- Record label
- Asylum Records
- Record label
- MGM Records
- Record label
- London Records
- Record label
- Mercury Records
- Record label
- Virgin Records
- Record label
- Monument Records
Achievements
- Award
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Groups
- Class Of '55current
- Roy Orbison & The Candy Mencurrent
- Roy Orbison and Friendscurrent
- The Teen Kingscurrent
- The Wink Westernerscurrent
- Traveling Wilburys1988–1988
Played together with
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Lefty Wilbury, Orbison, Ray Orbison, Roy Kelton Orbison, Roy Orbinson, Roy Orbisson
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were in the early 1960s and the late 1980s. Many of Orbison's songs conveyed vulnerability at a time when most male performers projected strength. He performed with minimal motion and in black clothes, matching his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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