TV outlook
Arte documentary about the rock legend Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison made little fuss about his fame. photo
© Roy Orbison Estate/Arte/dpa
Roy Orbison conquered the charts in the 1960s with soulful songs like “Pretty Woman” and “Only The Lonely”. A documentary on Arte tells the story of this extraordinary singer.
His trademark was his sunglasses, but Roy Orbison is still remembered today for his incomparable voice. It’s more suitable for an opera singer than a rock star, says one of the interviewees in Steve Cole’s exciting documentary about the singer and songwriter Roy Orbison, which will be shown on Arte on Friday at 9.45 p.m.
The southerner Orbison, born in the US state of Tennessee in 1936, became famous in the 1960s with song gems like “Pretty Woman”, “Only The Lonely” and “In Dreams”. He wrote almost all of his lyrics himself because foreign lyrics simply didn’t fit his special singing and haunting ballads. He always cut an elegant figure on stage, a friendly gentleman who did without airs and graces and could rely entirely on his voice. It was particularly popular in Great Britain, and Americans also felt most at home on the island.
Serious blows of fate
Roy Orbison went on tour with the frenetically celebrated Beatles in 1963, when he was at the zenith of his fame. But then severe blows of fate follow. His first wife died in a motorcycle accident in 1966, and two years later two of his children died in a country house fire in the USA. Orbison goes into hiding and finds his way back to life with the help of his second wife. Barbara Orbison tells in detail about her marriage to a man who always remains modest and makes little fuss about his fame.
Companions and fellow musicians such as Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello and Bono from U2 also have their say in detail, who talk about the sophisticated songwriting of Orbison’s ballad “In Dreams”. After his new beginning, Roy Orbison made another spectacular career leap in 1988. Together with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, he founded the supergroup Traveling Wilburys, which immediately stormed the charts.
Early death
Roy Orbison was no longer able to enjoy his late fame for a long time. In December 1988, the singer died of a heart attack at the age of just 52. A month later, his single “You’ve Got It” was released, which became his first top 10 hit in almost a quarter of a century in both Great Britain and the USA.
Following the documentary, the concert film “Roy Orbison – Black and White Night” will be shown on Arte from 10.45 p.m. Musicians such as Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits were also on stage.