Roy Orbison

Overview

Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 - December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as operatic, earning him the nicknames "The Caruso of Rock" and "The Big O." Many of Orbison's songs conveyed vulnerability at a time when most male rock-and-roll performers chose to project masculinity. He performed while standing motionless and wearing black clothes to match his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses, which he wore to counter his shyness and stage fright.
- IMDb mini biography by: Bonitao

In 1966, his wife, Claudette, died in a motorcycle accident. Two years later, two of his sons were killed in a housefire.
Longtime neighbors with Johnny Cash in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Was close friends with Elvis Presley and actor Martin Sheen.
Teamed up with Bob Dylan, Beatle George Harrison, Jeff Lynne from Electric Light Orchestra and Tom Petty in the group The Traveling Wilburys.
He smoked up to 80 cigarettes a day until he underwent triple coronary bypass surgery in January 1978. He continued to smoke cigarettes until his sudden death. His favorite cigarettes were Camels.

People often ask me how would I like to be remembered and I answer that I would simply like to be remembered.
Whether I'm in London, Sydney or Hong Kong, it makes no difference. There is always someone who knows me. I must be one of the most unloneliest people in the world!
I thought maybe in 1964 I could have been swamped by The Beatles. But it turned out the other way round and I was voted Number One vocalist in 1965.
There was a lot of loneliness in West Texas where I grew up. We used to say it was the center of everything, five hundred miles away from anything.
I may be a living legend, but that sure don't help when I've got to change a flat tyre.