Orbison

Orbison refers primarily to Roy Orbison, an American singer, songwriter, and musician whose emotional delivery and operatic vocal range made him one of the most distinctive figures in 20th-century popular music. Known for a powerful, soaring tenor and a wide dynamic palette, he became famous for interpretive ballads and rock-era anthems delivered with dramatic phrasing and guitar-driven arrangements.

Born on April 23, 1936, in Vernon, Texas, Orbison grew up in nearby Wink and began performing in local groups before recording for Sun Records in the mid-1950s. His early single Ooby Dooby (1956) helped establish him as a rising rockabilly artist, though his later work would cross into mainstream pop and country-influenced rock. The 1960s brought a string of major hits, including Only the Lonely, Crying, and It’s Over, followed by Oh, Pretty Woman in 1964, which became one of his signature songs and a worldwide chart-topper.

In the 1980s Orbison experienced a revival in popularity as part of the Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup formed with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne. The project introduced him to a new generation and culminated in the album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (1988). He had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 in recognition of his influence and enduring artistry. Orbison died on December 6, 1988, in Hendersonville, Tennessee, leaving a lasting imprint on rock, pop, and country music through his emotive performances and enduring catalog.