Just watching the brilliant Roy Orbison,didnt know the Bruce Springsteen was in his backing group.

The big O had one of the most haunting voices in modern music. His life was filled with tragedy, but he managed to entertain his whole life through.

A fabulous singer, with a superb back catalogue.

What a voice......he didn't need Autotune.

Holmechapel wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 16, 2025 10:47 pm

Just watching the brilliant Roy Orbison,didnt know the Bruce Springsteen was in his backing group.

Elvis’s favourite singer. My mum saw him in the sixties, she said it was surreal; used to screaming masses watching the Beatles et al. Yet for the entire Orbison concert you could hear a pin drop. The audience was mesmerised.

I feared the worst when I opened this thread. Thank goodness no one has reported he’s died.

Holmechapel wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 16, 2025 10:47 pm

Just watching the brilliant Roy Orbison,didnt know the Bruce Springsteen was in his backing group.

You are joking, aren't you?

Goalkeeper wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 16, 2025 11:11 pm

You are joking, aren't you?

I’ve recorded the whole Orbison evening but haven’t got around to watching yet. I’m guessing it was his Black and White show where he had many stars backing him in a one off tribute show.

Elwa, I can echo your mother’s sentiments. I saw Roy Orbison at the ABC theatre in Blackpool in, I think it was, 1965. It was a show of two parts where Roy Orbison was the star of the first half, whilst the second half was headed up by the Walker Brothers.
Roy Orbison’s opening to his performance stays with me to this day. The curtains opened to reveal a totally darkened stage. A lonely light bulb was lowered from above until it stopped to light up Roy Orbison dressed in black. He started singing “Running Scared” in absolute silence and then continued to captivate the theatre for the rest of his performance.
The second half ended with the Walker Brothers accompanied by a cacophony of screaming girls. Two totally different shows in one; I enjoyed both performances but Roy Orbison was out of this world.

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 16, 2025 11:21 pm

I’ve recorded the whole Orbison evening but haven’t got around to watching yet. I’m guessing it was his Black and White show where he had many stars backing him in a one off tribute show.

Yes it was Elvis Costello on guitar and kelang on backing vocals were two I saw

Holmechapel wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 16, 2025 10:47 pm

Just watching the brilliant Roy Orbison,didnt know the Bruce Springsteen was in his backing group.

You’re obviously referring to ‘The Black and White Show’, an all-time classic tribute concert. Springsteen, Elvis Costello. K D Lang, Jennifer Warnes, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, J D Souther, T Bone Burnett et al providing the backup talent.

Quality surrounds itself with quality

They sold one of his cars on Bangers and Cash.

We really enjoyed it, what a voice. Springsteen must have been aged around 37 at that time and it was probably a year later that Orbison suffered a heart attack and died. As someone mentioned further up this thread he had so much tragedy in his life and he too lost his life at only 52.

What was Roy's favourite place in the lake District.... It's Torver it's Torver it's Torver, it's TORVER.

Holmechapel wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 16, 2025 10:47 pm

Just watching the brilliant Roy Orbison,didnt know the Bruce Springsteen was in his backing group.

Of course he was

He played with him once at a tribute concert. Hardly in his backing group.

appleton wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 17, 2025 9:07 am

What was Roy's favourite place in the lake District.... It's Torver it's Torver it's Torver, it's TORVER.

I was in Coniston last week. Lovely place.

He was on the Wheeltappers and Shunters a few months ago. My wife said “he’s good, he looks and sounds just like him!”
I said it was him and she couldn’t believe he would be on such a programme.

Holmechapel wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 17, 2025 8:15 am

They sold one of his cars on Bangers and Cash.

It was an Excalibur modelled on a 1920s Mercedes SSK sportster. It was based on a Studebaker chassis with a whopping V8 engine. A bit of a handful by all accounts.

'Oh Pretty Woman' was No.1 on the Hit Parade the day that I was born.

Acting Claret wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 17, 2025 9:46 am

He was on the Wheeltappers and Shunters a few months ago. My wife said “he’s good, he looks and sounds just like him!”
I said it was him and she couldn’t believe he would be on such a programme.

When Rock took over many American singer/guitarists worked the Northern club circuit. Gene Pitney and PJ Proby being my stand outs.

My all time fav. He was a musical genius

One of the best ever singers. Maybe the best.

Roy Orbison was brilliant I thought, that was until we played those friendlies at Ibrox and I couldn’t get Penny Arcade out of my head.

A clip from Black & White Night with a brilliant guitar triple midway through featuring Roy, Elvis's guitarist James Burton and Bruce Springsteen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk

Midmoorclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:03 am

A clip from Black & White Night with a brilliant guitar triple midway through featuring Roy, Elvis's guitarist James Burton and Bruce Springsteen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk

Absolutely brilliant that. Thank you Midmoorclaret for the link.

I had the privilege of watching Roy Orbison live on a few occasions
I still have the ticket stub for the performance at Manchester Odeon with the Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers
7/6 in old money or 37 1/2 pence in new

I dont particularly like his voice, but can't fault what a career he had. Obviously a legend.

cricketfield73 wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 17, 2025 10:10 am

'Oh Pretty Woman' was No.1 on the Hit Parade the day that I was born.

How did you turn out?

An incredible voice and songs to match.

Yes, that's a great show with some amazing talent backing him up .I saw him live many times and was always waiting for his voice to crack on the high notes...but it never did .Runnin Scared is just a masterpiece .Remember seeing him at a Working Mens Club near where I live in W.Yorks .There were a load of Teds in that night and they persuaded him to sing Down the Line which he recorded for Sun records in 1956...they went nuts..never seen bopping like it since .Somebody mentioned Penny Arcade and that was written for him by a guy who used to appear on his shows ( and many others )at Batley Variety Club . His name was Sammy King .Aside from the Sun stuff , if you collect vinyl you'll know that it's one of the more difficult 45s to find .
Sadly , he only lasted another year after the Black & White show was recorded .He died in December 1988..the year that Springsteen did his Tunnel of Love tour .Springsteen is still rockin' and Roy's stuff sounds as good as ever to me . How lucky am I ?

What a shame the cabaret clubs have disappeared.

We saw him at Batley Variety Club in the early seventies. He came on stage, sang song after song, no banter with the audience, just launched into the next number as soon as he had finished the previous one. He left the stage to the usual shouts of More! But the mc came on and said that Mr Orbison had now left for his hotel. Absolute legend, has always been my favourite ever since I heard “Only the Lonely” on a jukebox at Ocean Edge caravan park, Heysham, in 1960.

Fabulous voice. Too soon to know and Crying ( with Kd Lang ) are marvellous.

Running Scared
In Dreams
My two favourites
All of his many recordings are superb though
My favourite singer of all time
Just blessed to have seen him several times

the other traveling wilburys were in awe of him.

that says a lot.

you're not alone has the best vocals of the best super-group ever.

hail the big-O.