Roy Orbison 4-CD set captures career full of emotion, vulnerability

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Twenty years after he died, Roy Orbison still can touch people with his piercing tenor.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, responsible for evergreen hits like "Oh, Pretty Woman," "Only the Lonely" and "Crying," won six Grammys and sold millions of CDs before dying of a heart attack in 1988 at age 52. Now the singer is the subject of a new retrospective, a four-CD box set of his 107 recordings. "The Soul of Rock and Roll" contains all of his hits and 12 previously unreleased tracks.

Barbara Orbison, his widow, says the new project tells "the history of Roy Orbison. They let you know how he evolved to become the artist he was."

Orbison, whose distinctive persona included ever-present sunglasses, dark clothing and an ebony pompadour, had hits including "Blue Bayou," "In Dreams," "Dream Baby," "Running Scared" and "Mean Woman Blues."

"Elvis had sensuality and rebellion, but Roy had the depth of emotion not many others had," said Jen Gunderman, who teaches a course on the history of rock 'n' roll at Vanderbilt University.

"There was a kind of mystery and fragility about him. ... There was a vulnerability you didn't see with others."

Gunderman credited Orbison with helping to invent the rock ballad. "He always conveyed sweeping emotion," Gunderman said of Orbison.

She also said his performances in Europe with the Beatles as they were on their way to becoming the Fab Four helped influence a generation of musicians.

"His tour with the Beatles in 1963 had a huge influence on all of the British invasion acts, and not just with his singing, but with his arrangements," Gunderman said. "He tied together pop and country and rockabilly and British invasion acts in a way that's really unique."

Orbison suffered a career decline and personal tragedies after achieving success: His wife Claudette died in a 1966 motorcycle crash and two sons died in a house fire in 1968.

Orbison's career rebounded in the 1980s. He joined the Eagles on tour, and Van Halen had a hit with his "Oh, Pretty Woman" in 1982. He and k.d. lang did a duet remake of "Crying," winning a Grammy in 1988. Earlier in the decade, the duet "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again" with Emmylou Harris won a Grammy.

In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A year later, he performed with the Traveling Wilburys, joining Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison.

Orbison also toured with the Rolling Stones, and the deference that Barbara Orbison said Roy was given reflects how many rock stars felt about him.

"Keith [Richards] said everyone called him 'Keith' and they called Mick [Jagger] 'Mick,' but they called him Mr. Orbison."