Happy Birthday, Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison was born on this day in 1936, in Vernon, Texas. For his sixth birthday, Roy asked for a harmonica, but his father Orbie Lee gave him a guitar. And the rest is history.
The main thing that contributed to Roy’s success, aside from his tenor voice, was that his songs were completely original in structure, sound, and style. He was an innovator. Roy was a pioneer in rock and roll, and his career spanned more than four decades. He got his start in Memphis at Sun Records, with the other music pioneers: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
His hits include Only the Lonely, Crying, Blue Angel, Running Scared, Dream Baby, In Dreams, Blue Bayou, You Got It, and his biggest hit Oh Pretty Woman.
Late in his career, he joined Bob Dylan, George Harrison (Beatles), Jeff Lynne (ELO), and Tom Petty to form the supergroup Traveling Wilburys. Their hits include Last Night, Handle With Care, Tweeter and The Monkey Man, Heading For The Light, and End of the Line.
Roy died at the age of 52 in Dec. 1988. The Traveling Wilburys won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Group in 1990. For more on the Traveling Wilburys click here.
Let’s watch some of his performances.
We’ll start with a 1960 performance of Only The Lonely.
Roy on The Johnny Cash Show in 1969 singing Crying
Crying (with kd lang)
His last hit, You Got It.
For a complete biography, visit : www.royorbison.citymusicnetworks.com
The Mystix: Blue Morning CD Review
The Mystix serve up a delectable mix of blues, R&B, country, and rock with Blue Morning. These musicians are at their finest, and have crafted an album full of soul that could easily become a new favorite of any music lover.
Jo Lily – the band’s front man – plays acoustic and slide guitar, and sings with the raspy voice of Tom Waits, Dr, John, and Bob Dylan. Bobby Keyes, who has recorded with greats like Jerry Lee Lewis and Ben E. King, plays guitar and his excellent skill dazzles. He can switch from funky blues style to rock riffs effortlessly. Bassist Marty Ballou and drummers, Marty Richards and Dennis McDermott, round out the Boston-based group. Keyes and Lily co-produced the CD.
While all ten songs on Blue Morning are good, some standout a little extra. A Change in Jane is a ballad that would fit nicely on one of Dylan’s later albums or pass for one of Van Morrison’s movie songs. It’s strong on images, and because it’s a short song, it leaves you wanting more. The spirited rhythms on the aptly named New Orleans set the scene for a rollicking street party in The Big Easy. New Orleans is the liveliest song on Blue Morning. Another lively tune is The Mystix’s cover of Rattled. And while the Traveling Wilburys: Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison are and were the masters, The Mystix’s version just might beat the original.
The title track slows things down a bit. It’s a heartbreak song that offers the hope that there’s always a new day, offering a new start. Which Side of Heartache is a weepy country tune and is reminiscent of The Tennessee Waltz. Hi-Line closes Blue Morning. It conjures up the image of an empty bar when the last shot of whiskey has been served and the final song is coming to an end.
The Mystix’s Blue Morning is a solid album that mixes genres seamlessly. It’s got something for everyone. Blue Morning is an excellent example of how good songwriting and instrumentation can create a perfect listening experience.
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