Roy Orbison
Wink, Winkler County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(April 23, 1936 - December 6, 1988) Roy Kelton Orbison was one of America's most famed rock and roll musicians. Born in Vernon (Wilbarger Co.), Orbison and family moved often and by 1946 they had settled in Wink. The Orbisons lived at 102 Langley Way (now 105 North Roy Orbison Drive). As a high school student in Wink, Orbison formed his first band. The Wink Westerners (later The Teen Kings). He attended North Texas State University at which time The Teen Kings recorded "Ooby Dooby," a song which led to their signing by Sun Records in 1956. By the early 1960s, Orbison had signed with Monument Records, where he had his greatest commercial success, recording songs like "Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)," "Crying," "In Dreams," "Running Scared" and "Oh! Pretty Women," By this time, Orbison had perfected his unique, powerful singing voice, while focusing on complex melodies in his music. He also began to wear his familiar dark sunglasses during performances. By the mid–1960s, though, Orbison's career languished. In addition, he suffered a number of personal tragedies. In 1966, Orbison's wife, Claudette (Frady), died in a motorcycle accident; two years later, two of their three sons died in a fire. In 1969, Orbison remarried; he would have two more sons. In the late 1970s, other artists began covering Orbison's music and by the late 1980s, his career was revived. Orbison was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1988, he recorded the album, Mystery Girl, which included the hit, "You Got It." Before it was finalized, Orbison died unexpectedly of a heart attack. The album was released posthumously and was a success. Today, Orbison continues to be remembered for his legacy of music, which has inspired generations of successful musicians. (2009)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Roy Kelton Orbison, one of America's most distinctive rock-and-roll voices, grew up in Wink after his family settled here in the 1940s. He formed his first band as a high-school student, recorded the early hit "Ooby Dooby" that led to a deal with Sun Records, and reached his commercial peak at Monument Records with songs like "Only the Lonely," "Crying," and "Oh, Pretty Woman," sung in a soaring, operatic style behind his trademark dark glasses. After career setbacks and personal tragedy, his music was rediscovered in the 1980s, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Why it matters
Orbison helped shape the sound of American popular music, and his rise from a small West Texas oil town speaks to the way the country's musical heritage grew from its most unassuming places.
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Themes & tags
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