One of the greatest, yet overlooked and underappreciated vocalists/composers is given a fitting tribute here. If nothing else, Roy Orbison will always be remembered as the man who’s song (“Oh, Pretty Woman”) knocked the Beatles’ long lasting claim to Number 1 hit records back in 1964. Obviously, there was more to him than that, as he pioneered the almost operatic delivery of pop/rock music, mixing it with blues and rockabilly in an infectious and highly influential manner.
Here, you’ve got lots of his “hits” that show his ability to sing a song for the lonely and outcasts, ranging from “Crying,” “Only The Lonely” and “Running Scared” to the Puccini-like aria “It’s Over.” He also knew how to swing, delivering earthy toe tappers like “Mean Woman Blues” and “Ooby Dooby.” Enjoyable inclusions to his most popular tunes are a number of tracks from his stint with The Traveling Wilburys of George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynn and Tom Petty. Pieces like “Handle With Care” and “Not Alone Anymore” remind everyone what the allure of modern pop and rock initially was. When did we stop smiling along with it?