I’ve been peripherally aware of Big O for twenty-five years, at least, but didn’t have any of his stuff except with the Traveling Wilburys. Finally bought a compilation and paid attention.
My god what a voice. It’s just… other worldly.
My favorite song is probably Blue Bayou, but I’ve enjoyed digging deeper in the catalog. The early rockabilly stuff is fine, but he didn’t really find himself until he let himself get weird. “In Dreams” and “Crying” are two of the finest vocal albums I’ve heard, they are damn near perfect.
I saw Roy here at the Austin Aqua Festival just few months before he died.
He LOOKED absolutely ridiculous- he was fat and pushing 60, but was still dressing like a Fifties greaser. But I swear, his voice was at LEAST as good as it had ever been. He hit every note, and had me in tears a few times.
Oddly enough, though, I thought Linda Ronstadt’s cover of “Blue Bayou” was better than Roy’s, mainly because I didn’t like the arrangements on Roy’s single.
Notice in any videos you see of him that his mouth barely opens when that glorious voice comes forth. It’s astonishing in its effortlessness. In real life he was an insecure, pasty white, jug-eared myopic geek from west Texas. What’s weird is that he was a baritone, but had something like a three or four octave range. In my younger days, after a few drinks to loosen up the vocal chords, I could keep up with him, but that was a seriously exceptional voice.
But just barely, and you silently congratulated yourself when you did without shifting into screechy falsetto. I know because I was states away doing the same thing.
Discovered by Pat Boone. Only thing keeping Boone from The Wall.
I’m sure I can look it up on Wikipedia anytime I want, but I don’t think any thread about Roy Orbison can be complete without acknowledging the incalculable pain and grieving his life must have been with regards to the death of his boys (in a house fire I believe?)
Believe me, I do not need to click on that to know what it is. And there’s no coincidence when I say I was aware of Orbison’s music for about 25 years.
I recall Roy’s last comeback. He had a history of heart problems and looked so bad. Amazing that his voice was still strong as ever. I don’t think Roy expected to survive that tour. He introduced his incredible music to another generation of fans and he went out doing what he loved. R.I.P.
