Roy Orbison was a singer's singer. Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988), was an American singer-songwriter and musician, known for his distinctive, impassioned voice, complex compositions and dark emotional ballads. Johnny Cash suggested that Orbison approach Sun Records. Sam Phillips signed Orbison and his band, the Teen Kings in 1956. Orbison was one of the first recording artists to popularize the "Nashville sound", doing so with a group of session musicians known as the A-Team. The Nashville sound was developed by producers Chet Atkins, Owen Bradley, Sam Phillips and Fred Foster. Between 1960 and 1964, 22 of his songs placed on the Billboard Top 40.
in April 1963, Orbison was asked to replace guitarist Duane Eddy on a tour of the UK in top billing with the Beatles, whose popularity was on the rise. When he arrived in Britain, however, he saw the amount of advertising devoted to the quartet and realized he was no longer the main draw. He had never heard of them and, annoyed, asked hypothetically, "What's a Beatle anyway?" to which John Lennon replied, after tapping his shoulder, "I am". On opening night, Orbison opted to go onstage first, although he was the more established act. Lennon, McCartney, Harrison Starr stood dumbfounded backstage as Orbison performed completely still and simply sang through fourteen encores!
He was immensely popular wherever he went. He toured with the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. In Ireland, he was so besieged by teenage girls that the Irish police had to halt his performances to pull the girls off him. In the 70's Orbison fell into obscurity but not his songs! Numerous covers of Orbison's music reached the top of the Charts. Orbison's career was fully revived in 1987. He was inducted into both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1987 too he became "Lefty Wilbury". Along with George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan he formed the Super Group, the Traveling Wilburys.