David Lynch frequently uses his songs in his films.
Attended the University of North Texas.
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 674-676. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.
Both he and his friend Elvis Presley suffered a heart attack in their bathrooms. Orbison was hospitalized but died.
Children: Roy Dewayne Orbison (1958 - Sept 15 1968), Anthony King Orbison (1962 - Sept 15 1968), and Wesley Orbison (born 1965) by first wife Claudette. Roy Kelton Orbison Jr. (born Oct 18 1970) and Alex Orbison (born 1975) by second wife Barbara.
Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Elected to the American Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.
First saw Elvis Presley in concert in 1955. Next year Presley was in his concert and entered in backstage. Orbison kept telling about Elvis' visit to his friends.
Had a No. 1 1964 hit with "Oh, Pretty Woman".
Had a vocal range of 3.5 octaves.
He offered his first big hit song "Only the Lonely" (1960) originally to Elvis Presley, but unfortunately all the material for Presley's next album had already been chosen. Roy later offered the song to The Everly Brothers who had a previous hit with another Roy Orbison composition, "Claudette" in 1958. They suggested he record it himself which he finally did.
He was voted the 37th Greatest Artist in Rock 'n' Roll by Rolling Stone.
His identification with Wayfarer sunglasses began when he went on tour to England in the early 1960s, and forgot his regular specs. His lenses were prescription, but some fans mistook Orbison for being blind.
In 1966 his wife, Claudette, died in a motor-cycle accident. Two years later two of his sons were killed in a housefire.
In 1977 Linda Ronstadt recorded a new version of "Blue Bayou" that became a major success and remained in the country music charts for months. In the early 1980s Don McLean's recording of "Crying" charted all over the world, reaching Number 1 in the UK. A duet between Orbison and Emmylou Harris took him to the country music Top 10 and crossed over into the pop charts.
Is portrayed by Johnathan Rice in Walk the Line (2005) and by 'Brian Jones (XXII)' in Crazy (2008/II).
Last met Elvis Presley in Las Vegas 1976 in the King's last concert in gambling city. Orbison was in the audience and Presley said on the microphone: "Quite simply, the greatest singer in the world, Roy Orbison".
Longtime neighbor of Johnny Cash, in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Made only one movie in his career: "The Fastest Guitar Alive" (1967) which was offered to him after Elvis Presley, his friend, turned it down.
Near the end of his life, he became friends with k.d. lang after they recorded his 1961 hit single "Crying" as a duet. Was close friends with actor Martin Sheen.
Of Roy's early compositions "Down The Line" was first recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis (1957) and The Everly Brothers had a charted hit with "Claudette" (1958) #30 US Pop, #1 UK.