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Roy Orbison
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Listening now: schienbein
Vernon TX, United States (1954 – 1988)
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988), nicknamed “The Big O”, was an influential American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll, whose recording career spanned more than four decades. By the mid-1960s Orbison was internationally recognized for his ballads of lost love, rhythmically advanced melodies, three-octave vocal range, characteristic dark sunglasses, and sometimes distinctive usage of falsetto, typified in songs such as “
Only the Lonely, “Oh, Pretty Woman”, and “Crying”. In 1989, he was inducted posthumously into the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Two common misconceptions about his appearance stubbornly continue to surface about Orbison: one, that he was an albino, and two, that he wore his trademark dark glasses because he was blind or nearly so. Neither is correct, although his poor vision required him to wear thick corrective lenses (He suffered from childhood from a combination of hyperopia, severe astigmatism, presbyopia, anisometropia, and strabismus). Orbison’s trademark sunglasses were a fashion statement arising from an accident early in his career. Due to go onstage in a few minutes, Orbison left his regular glasses in an airplane. Unable to see without corrective lenses, the only other pair of glasses he had available were darkly tinted prescription sunglasses. “I had to see to get onstage,” so he wore the glasses throughout his tour with the Beatles, and he carried on with it for the rest of his professional career. “I’ll just do this and look cool.”
Early life and career
Only the Lonely, “Oh, Pretty Woman”, and “Crying”. In 1989, he was inducted posthumously into the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame.Two common misconceptions about his appearance stubbornly continue to surface about Orbison: one, that he was an albino, and two, that he wore his trademark dark glasses because he was blind or nearly so. Neither is correct, although his poor vision required him to wear thick corrective lenses (He suffered from childhood from a combination of hyperopia, severe astigmatism, presbyopia, anisometropia, and strabismus). Orbison’s trademark sunglasses were a fashion statement arising from an accident early in his career. Due to go onstage in a few minutes, Orbison left his regular glasses in an airplane. Unable to see without corrective lenses, the only other pair of glasses he had available were darkly tinted prescription sunglasses. “I had to see to get onstage,” so he wore the glasses throughout his tour with the Beatles, and he carried on with it for the rest of his professional career. “I’ll just do this and look cool.”
Early life and career
Top Albums
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The Very Best of Roy Orbison
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The All-Time Greatest Hits of Roy Orbison
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Mystery Girl
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The Essential Roy Orbison
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Top Tracks
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Oh, Pretty Woman
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Crying
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In Dreams
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You Got It
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Oh Pretty Woman
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I Drove All Night
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Blue Bayou
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Pretty Paper
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It's Over
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Running Scared
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Ooby Dooby
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Blue Angel
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Mean Woman Blues
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Shoutbox
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laionmen wrote:
THE LAYONMAN POP MUSIC BRAZIL! www.myspace.com/laionmen www.palcomp3.com.br/laionmen http://twitter.com/layonman
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jaguarjg wrote:
His music always seems to make me feel better. Tons of great songs.
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stellarrrr wrote:
thanks Roy for making me love
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SkoorbHaon wrote:
Watch the Black & White Night concert.
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Marks1917 wrote:
a candy coloured clown they call the sandman...
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Ji_Kvepuoja wrote:
Oh, Pretty Woman (y)
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LennyNoEarth wrote:
Roy was / is awesome. Gives me chills.
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marcelodylan wrote:
MITO
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juanathancito wrote:
tagged as: "music to shoot heroin to." purrrfect.
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JDC1988 wrote:
Simply Amazing. Like wine, Orb gets better with age.
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deadgrave wrote:
the big ''O''
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Ro0o0Keane wrote:
I love your voice♥
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sibss wrote:
his voice is soooo cool.
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felghen wrote:
You Got It!
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billionairre wrote:
this man's voice is what the voice of god ought to sound like...
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KatzM wrote:
Pretty woman... rs
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mattshoes wrote:
She's a mystery to me.. is so beautiful! Love Roy :)
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sunilmittal667 wrote:
<3
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tuankazzan wrote:
Dream is sooooooooooo underrated.
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iffypop wrote:
V V our avatars are the same
Videos
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Events
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Sep
5
Blue Bayou : A Tribute To Roy Orbison
Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Add shout
| 2 attendees
News
[VIDEO] Springsteen and Fogerty perform "Oh, Pretty Woman" at Rock and Roll Hall Of…
30 Oct 2009 | from www.orbison.com/news
At Madison Square Garden last night, Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty honored key influenc[...]
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[VIDEO] Springsteen and Fogerty perform "Oh, Pretty Woman" at RnR HOF 25th Anniv…
30 Oct 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/royorbison -
20 Oct 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/royorbison -
14 Oct 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/royorbison
Listeners
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schienbein
Listening now
to It's Over -
danielboberg
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to Oh, Pretty Woman -
MC-Escher
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chikamen
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iconoclast_a
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lordofendsville
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Recent Activity
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sombrehippie, bluesytwo, slmunjal and 1 other person added Roy Orbison to their libraries. just now
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eryqah tagged Roy Orbison with ‘late 1950s-early 1960s’. 5 hours ago
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finalcunt, jansfisher, naota25 and 26 other people added Roy Orbison to their libraries. 6 hours ago
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jonathan90265 tagged Roy Orbison with rock, 60s, oldies and one other tag. Wednesday evening
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KukiZZ_89 tagged Roy Orbison with ‘rockabilly’. Tuesday evening
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Zor4n tagged Roy Orbison with ‘rockabilly’. Monday evening
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atlantida81 tagged Roy Orbison with ‘dreamer’. Monday evening
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david5970 wrote about Roy Orbison – The Very Best of Roy Orbison in Top 35 albums (with some very limited commentary as well). last month
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