Roy Orbison

Roy Orbison —born April 23, 1936 — possessed one of rock and roll's most extraordinary instruments: a pitch-perfect, three-octave voice of angelic power, its beauty made all the more haunting by the darkness that defined his life.

Raised in Wink, Texas, he formed his first band at thirteen, and by 1956 "Ooby Dooby" had landed him a deal with Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Monument Records proved his real home. "Only the Lonely" (1960) hit #1 in the UK and #2 in the U.S., igniting a run of classics — "Running Scared," "Crying," "Dream Baby," "In Dreams" — that made him a global star.

His 1963 UK tour with The Beatles was a sensation: 14 encores on opening night. Having left his real glasses on the plane, he wore dark lenses as a substitute — and never stopped, cementing an iconic look. "Oh, Pretty Woman" (1964), sold over 7 million copies and topped charts worldwide.

Tragedy arrived in the years that followed. Wife Claudette was killed in a 1966 motorcycle accident; two of his three sons died in a 1968 house fire. Health struggles, including open-heart surgery in 1978, further slowed him.

The 1980s brought full redemption: a Grammy with Emmylou Harris, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1987, the beloved Black and White Night TV special, and a place in the Traveling Wilburys alongside Dylan, Harrison, Petty, and Lynne.

He died Dec 6, 1988, aged 52 — leaving behind five #1 albums, thirteen #1 singles, and a voice that remains truly irreplaceable.