I may be up to my eyeballs in Christmas music but if you think I am going to skip over a very sad day in music history, you’re wrong.

On December 6, 1988, Roy Orbison was in the midst of a massive career resurgence. After being out of the limelight for almost two decades, he had rebounded, first as a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, then as a member of The Traveling Wilburys, and was also planning a release for Mystery Girl, his comeback solo album.

He died of a massive heart attack that night at the age of 52.

On the 33rd anniversary of his passing, I am playing a nine-song medley of his music, beginning with one of his earliest recordings in 1959 all the way through his final recording (Careless Heart) in 1988.
Wait, that’s not quite true. I was going to end with that song from Mystery Girl but I decided to end the medley with his signature song from 1964.

It just felt like the right thing to do.

I have long believed Roy Orbison had the sweetest voice this side of heaven. Nothing or no one has ever changed my opinion. There are a few singer/songwriters who have the ability to make me ache inside and cause me to marvel at the beauty of the art of song. Virtually every Roy Orbison song did that.

Play button is on the left … Volume slider is on the right

The Roy Orbison Medley