Roy Orbison net worth is $15 Million. Also know about Roy Orbison bio, salary, height, age weight, relationship and more …

Roy Orbison Wiki Biography

Roy Orbison was born on the 23rd April 1936 in Vernon, Texas, USA, and was a musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his distinctive voice and dark love ballads. Orbison had over 20 songs that were placed in the Billboard Top 40, including such hits as “Only the Lonely” (1960), “Crying” (1961), and “”Oh, Pretty Woman” (1964). He has been a Rock ;n’ Roll Hall of Famer since 1987, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer, and the Songwriters Hall of Famer. Roy received six Grammy Awards, and since 2010 he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Orbison’s career started in 1953 and ended in 1988, when he passed away..

Have you ever wondered how rich Roy Orbison was at the time of his death? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Orbison’s net worth was as high as $15 million, an amount earned through his successful career in music.

Roy Orbison was a son of Orbie Lee Orbison, an oil well driller and car mechanic, and Nadine Shultz, a nurse. His father bought him a guitar when was six, and by the late ‘40s, Roy already hosted a show on local radio. He went to the Wink High School, where he formed a band with some friends, called the Wink Westerners, even performing on KERB radio station in Kermit. Later Orbison enrolled at the North Texas State College in Denton, but dropped out after a year to return home to Wink.

Roy then moved to Odessa, Texas, where he went to the Odessa Junior College, while the Wink Westerners changed the name to Teen Kings and performed on local TV stations. While in Odessa, Orbison saw live shows of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, and when Roy decided to make a living out of music, approaching Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Phillips offered a contract to the Teen Kings in 1956, but in 1961, Roy recorded his debut solo album entitled “Roy Orbison at the Rock House”. The first studio album that entered Billboard 200 chart was “Crying” in 1962, peaking in No. 21 place, while it reached No. 17 on the UK Albums chart.

In 1963, Roy released “In Dreams”, which reached No. 35 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on UK Albums chart; the singles “In Dreams”, “Dream”, “All I Have to Do Is Dream”, and “My Prayer” were among his most popular. Two years later, he recorded “Orbisongs” and the album peaked at the No. 136 on Billboard 200, and No. 40 on UK chart, while the single “Oh, Pretty Woman” became a worldwide hit, and is still one of the most recognizable songs of all time. This increased Roy`s net worth to a large degree.

Until 1987 and the release of “In Dreams: The Greatest Hits”, neither of Orbison’s albums made it to Billboard 200 chart. In 1988, the album called “Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1” – recorded with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne – achieved triple platinum status in the US, peaked at No. 3 on Billboard 200, and at No. 16 on the UK chart. His next release called “Mystery Girl” (1989) achieved platinum status in both US and the UK, adding further to his net worth.

Most recently, the posthumous album entitled “One of the Lonely Ones” came out in December 2015. Roy recorded almost 30 compilation albums which helped him to increase his net worth additionally.

Regarding his personal life, Roy Orbison was married twice to Claudette Frady until her tragic death in 1966, when she was killed in a motorcycle accident in Gallatin, Tennessee. Only two years later, his two sons died in a fire that took over his house in Hendersonville, Tennessee, while Roy was on tour in England. He married Barbara in 1969, and they were together until his death – Orbison suffered from heart disease for the most of his life, and on 6 December 1988, he died of a heart attack in Hendersonville, aged just 52.

IMDB Wikipedia “The Voice” $15 Million 1936 1936-04-23 1988 5 ft 10 in (1.8 m) Actor Alexander Orbison American Anthony King Orbison April 23 Barbara Orbison Barbara Orbison (m. 1969–1988) Bob Dylan Claudette Frady Claudette Frady (m. 1957–1964) Claudette Frady (m. 1965–1966) Composer December 6 Elvis Presley George Harrison Guitarist Hendersonville Jeff Lynne Johnny Cash Musician Nadine Shultz Orbie Lee Orbison Orbison Ray Orbison Roy Roy Dewayne Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison Roy Orbinson Roy Orbison Roy Orbison Net Worth Roy Orbisson Roy Orbsion Singer Singer-songwriter Singers Songwriter Tennessee Texas The Big O the Caruso of Rock Tom Petty United States United States of America Vernon Wesley Orbison

Roy Orbison Quick Info

Roy Orbison Trademarks

1. Dark emotional ballads
2. Often wears black clothes
3. Dark sunglasses
4. Flawless tenor voice with an unmistakable vibrato

Roy Orbison Quotes

• [After seeing his song “In Dreams” being used in Blue Velvet (1986)] I was mortified because they were talking about the “candy colored clown” in relation to a dope deal… I thought, “What in the world…?”. But later, when I was touring, we got the video out and I really got to appreciate what David gave to the song, and what the song gave to the movie – how it achieved this otherworldly quality that added a whole new dimension to “In Dreams”.
• Once I started singing, it was sort of a wonder. It was a great feeling, and it didn’t hurt anybody, and it made me feel good, and some people even said, “Roy, that’s nice.”.
• I was frustrated as a singer for a long time, particularly when some friendly rivalry broke out between me and a young guy in Texas named Buddy Holly, who, within a couple of months, had a couple of Number One singles and soon had stardom that reached to the Moon. I tried not to take it too hard, but when “Only the Lonely” happened in 1960, I reckoned it was about time too. I was an avid follower of the charts. I lived by them until “Only the Lonely” – and then I didn’t look at them anymore.
• I may be a living legend, but that sure don’t help when I’ve got to change a flat tyre.
• There was a lot of loneliness in West Texas where I grew up. We used to say it was the center of everything, five hundred miles away from anything.
• I thought maybe in 1964 I could have been swamped by The Beatles. But it turned out the other way round and I was voted Number One vocalist in 1965.
• Whether I’m in London, Sydney or Hong Kong, it makes no difference. There is always someone who knows me. I must be one of the most unloneliest people in the world!
• People often ask me how would I like to be remembered and I answer that I would simply like to be remembered.

Roy Orbison Important Facts

• Is mentioned in the song “Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen.
• His natural hair color was platinum blond; however, he never liked his hair and began dyeing his hair black in his teens.
• He was a huge fan of the original Star Trek (1966) series and would often play the series’ theme at the beginning of his shows.
• Following his death, he was interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
• The look of Marvel Comics supervillain and Spider-Man archenemy, Doctor Octopus is said to be based on him.
• He was posthumously awarded a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee in November 2006.
• He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California on January 29, 2010.
• The steady drum beat signifying confrontation in Roy’s recording of “Running Scared” is reminiscent of the arrangement used in Frankie Laine’s recording of “High Noon”.
• Of Roy’s early compositions “Down the Line” was first recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis (1957) and The Everly Brothers had a charted hit with “Claudette” (1958) #30 US Pop, #1 UK.
• Recorded the song “Hound Dog Man” (1979) in the memory of Elvis Presley.
• Was one of the Million Dollar singers for little record company Sun Records based in Memphis, Tennessee with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.
• Last met Elvis Presley in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1976 in the King’s last concert in gambling city. Orbison was in the audience and Presley said on the microphone: “Quite simply, the greatest singer in the world, Roy Orbison.”.
• He offered his first big hit song “Only the Lonely” (1960) originally to Elvis Presley, but unfortunately all the material for Presley’s next album had already been chosen. Roy later offered the song to The Everly Brothers who had a previous hit with another Roy Orbison composition, “Claudette” (1958). They suggested he record the song himself which he finally did.
• First saw Elvis Presley in concert in 1955. Presley was in his concert and entered in backstage the next year. Orbison kept telling about Elvis’ visit to his friends.
• Both he and his friend Elvis Presley suffered a heart attack in their bathrooms. Orbison was hospitalized but died.
• Made only one movie in his career: The Fastest Guitar Alive (1967), which was offered to him after his friend Elvis Presley turned down.
• Biography in: “The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives”. Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 674-676. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1999.
• Was close friends with Elvis Presley and actor Martin Sheen.
• Ranked #49 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll.
• Re-recorded many of his classic hits in 1987 to critical and commercial success.
• Won Grammy Awards in 1981, 1987 and posthumously in 1991.
• In 1977, Linda Ronstadt recorded a new version of “Blue Bayou” that became a major success and remained in the country music charts for months. In the early 1980s, Don McLean’s recording of “Crying” charted all over the world, reaching No. 1 in the United Kingdom. A duet between Orbison and Emmylou Harris took him to the country music Top 10 and crossed over into the pop charts.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987), the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1987), and the American Songwriters Hall of Fame (1989).
• Recorded many of his most famous hits from the 1960s with legendary guitarist Hank Garland.
• He smoked up to 80 cigarettes a day before he underwent triple heart bypass surgery in 1978.
• Longtime neighbors with Johnny Cash in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
• His identification with Wayfarer sunglasses began when he went on tour to England in the early 1960s, and forgot his regular specs. His lenses were prescription, but some fans mistook Orbison for being blind.
• Was known to insist his backup performers give their best at every performance. Reportedly, one night while touring in Florida he dismissed his regular band (called the Candy Men, after an early hit), then invited the opening group, the Webs, to join him on tour, adopting the Candy Men name. One member of the Webs was singer/songwriter Bobby Goldsboro.
• David Lynch frequently uses his songs in his films.
• He was voted the 37th Greatest Artist in Rock ‘n’ Roll by Rolling Stone.
• Children: Roy Dewayne Orbison (1958 – September 15, 1968), Anthony King Orbison (1962 – September 15, 1968) and Wesley Orbison (born 1965) by first wife Claudette. Roy Kelton Orbison Jr. (born October 18, 1970) and Alex Orbison (born 1975) by second wife Barbara.
• Teamed up with Bob Dylan, Beatle George Harrison, Jeff Lynne from Electric Light Orchestra and Tom Petty in the group The Travelling Wilburys.
• Near the end of his life, he became friends with k.d. lang after they recorded his hit single “Crying” (1961) as a duet.
• Attended the University of North Texas and Odessa College.
• Toured the United Kingdom three times during 1963 and with Eagles in 1980.
• Scored his first minor hit single with “Ooby Dooby” (1956) and had a No. 1 hit single with “Oh, Pretty Woman” (1964).
• In 1966, his wife, Claudette, died in a motorcycle accident. Two years later, two of his sons were killed in a housefire.
• When Orbison was first in the United Kingdom, he toured with The Beatles.

Roy Orbison Filmography

Roy Orbison Awards