Roy Orbison

Roy Orbison

The voice of Roy Orbison is one of the most recognizable in the world of music. Many of the greatest performers of the last century, including Elvis Presley and Bono, have named him as one of the most influential singers of all time. During a career that spanned over 30 years, he wrote and performed music that people loved and enjoyed. His personal life was marred by tragedy, but he never let those events push him out of the music business. Although he was a quiet and kept to himself, his music touched many. In his 52 years of living, Roy Orbison made a giant contribution to music.

Orbison was born in Vernon, Texas in 1936. His father was an oil well driller as well as a car mechanic, and his mother was a nurse. During the depression, both were unemployed. The family moved to Fort Worth to find work, until a polio scare forced them to return to Vernon. All the Orbison’s were afflicted with poor eyesight. Roy used thick lenses from an early age. He was never happy with his appearance, and began dyeing his hair jet black as a young boy. Orbison was said to be a quiet, self-effacing, and a remarkably polite kid. He never liked to be the center of attention, unless of course it was to sing. He thought his own voice was memorable, not great.

When Roy turned six, his father gave him his first guitar. By the age of seven, Roy knew music would be his life. His early influences were country stars, such as Lefty Frizzel, Hank Williams, and Jimmy Rodgers. While Roy lived in West Texas, he was exposed to all types of music, including rhythm and blues, Tex-Mex, Mantovani, and Zydeco. At age eight, he began appearing on a local radio show, and began hosting the show in the late 1940’s.

While in high school, Roy formed The Wink Westerners with some friends. They were an informal band that played the standard country songs. They were once $400 to play a school dance. This is when Orbison realized he could make a living in music. After enrolling in North Texas...