DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say, right there in Wink, Texas. Now settle in, because this one's got all of it — triumph, heartbreak, and a voice that refused to stay quiet even after it was gone. Roy Kelton Orbison.
Born April 23, 1936, in Vernon, up in Wilbarger County. His family moved around plenty in those early years, the way families do, until by 1946 they had landed in Wink. Set down roots at 102 Langley Way — a street the town would eventually rename North Roy Orbison Drive, though that's a story the address tells all on its own.
It was right there in Wink, as a high school student, that Orbison formed his first band. They called themselves the Wink Westerners, and later, The Teen Kings. Now picture that — a kid in a West Texas oil patch town, conjuring something that would eventually shake the world.
While Orbison was attending North Texas State University, The Teen Kings recorded a little number called "Ooby Dooby." That song caught the right ears, and in 1956 it led to the band signing with Sun Records. Sun Records. That name alone ought to tell you something was in motion.
By the early 1960s, Orbison had moved on to Monument Records, and that's where the real lightning struck. "Only the Lonely," "Crying," "In Dreams," "Running Scared," "Oh! Pretty Woman" — one after another, each one carrying that voice, that singular, powerful, almost otherworldly instrument he had shaped into something nobody else could touch. He was perfecting complex melodies, building music that didn't follow the rules of the room.
And somewhere in there, he started wearing those dark sunglasses on stage. Became part of the picture. Then the mid-1960s came, and his career began to languish.
That word — languish — doesn't quite carry the full weight of what was coming. In 1966, his wife Claudette, born Claudette Frady, died in a motorcycle accident. Two years later, two of their three sons died in a fire.
I'll just let that sit for a moment, because it deserves the silence. The man carried grief that most of us couldn't fathom and kept moving. In 1969, Orbison remarried, and he would go on to have two more sons.
Life insisting on itself, even through the wreckage. By the late 1970s, other artists were finding their way to his catalog, covering his music, keeping that flame lit. And then the late 1980s arrived and brought with them a full revival.
In 1987, Roy Orbison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — which is the kind of recognition that sounds inevitable once it happens and miraculous while you're waiting for it. In 1988, he recorded an album called Mystery Girl, which included a hit called "You Got It." He was coming all the way back. And then, before the album could be finalized, Orbison died unexpectedly of a heart attack on December 6, 1988.
Mystery Girl was released posthumously. It was a success. There's something about that — the last record arriving without him there to hold it — that lands differently than most endings.
Roy Kelton Orbison was one of America's most famed rock and roll musicians, and out here in Wink, they haven't forgotten where it all started. His music has inspired generations of successful musicians, and by the sound of things, it isn't finished yet.
What the marker says
(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)