Roy Orbison Reissue

Roy Orbison

Although he found success with the Sun Record Company and was on RCA briefly, Roy Orbison had his greatest impact at Nashville, Tenn.'s Monument label. April 23 would have been the Vernon, Texas, native's 75th birthday, a fact this three-disc set commemorates. The A Sides features Orbison's biggest hits, 1960's "Only the Lonely," 1961's "Crying," and 1964's "Oh, Pretty Woman" among them. The B Sides holds more obscure tunes, like 1962's "Leah" and audacious covers of "Love Hurts," "I Can't Stop Loving You," and "Mean Woman Blues," all in dazzling mono the way they were supposed to be experienced. Orbison's transcendent vocals and innovative songwriting – his themes, structures, and rhythms were groundbreaking – remain affecting in ways that few of his generation or those that followed achieved. Those thinking they've heard all this before are sure to be surprised by a DVD containing nine songs from the Monument Concert in 1965. Recorded in Holland in March of that year and originally aired on Dutch television, it presents Orbison at the peak of his powers, dressed in black with his trademark black sunglasses, backed by a sixpiece band, and with growl intact. Liner notes are skimpy, but full session information details a studio band including Nashville session legends Boots Randolph, Floyd Cramer, Hank Garland, Harold Bradley, and Buddy Harman, which explains the success Orbison had completing his artistic vision. In the process, he expanded what rock & roll could be and became.