Roy Orbison (1936-1988) was a legendary early rockabilly singer and songwriter from Wink, Texas.
After World War II, the Orbison family moved from Vernon, TX, out west to Wink, where Roy Orbison would start his first band at 13 years old, The Wink Westerners. In 1956, Orbison signed with his first label, Sun Records, but did not achieve much commercial success until after signing with Monument Records in 1960. With the release of “Only the Lonely” (1960), Orbison’s career officially launched. Some of his hits include “Running Scared” (1961), “Crying” (1961), and “In Dreams” (1963), which is featured in David Lynch’s film, Blue Velvet (1986). Orbison’s magnum opus, “Oh, Pretty Woman” (1964) garnered international sensation. During this time, he collaborated with other legends including The Beatles and Elvis Presley. In the 1980s, Orbison reentered the public eye through his work with the supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys, with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty.
Roy Orbison was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in 1989.
