RHAPSODY IN BLACK: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF ROY ORBISON

"This novel may appear to cater to specialised tastes. But it is highly recommended to nonfetishists, who will find it inventively hilarious." — The Guardian "The sunlight glints on the translucent triumph of science. The faint rasp as I unspool it sends delirious brightly colored butterflies flocking through my stomach. I am like a tailor of the elves bedecking him in a shimmering suit of some magical material. Soon, Roy Orbison stands before all of Düsseldorf wrapped up in clingfilm. Silent white light floods my whole being and I become one with the universe." Just as the avant-garde artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude employed cloth to drape prominent buildings, Ulrich Haarbürste has adopted plastic wrap — or clingfilm — as his medium. His focus, however, is no inanimate landmark; it's the popular music icon Roy Orbison. In this singular novel, Haarbürste relates a series of encounters with the legendary musician that culminate with the former wrapping the latter from head to toe in clingfilm, to the author's immense satisfaction. This edition includes several related short stories, and as the author modestly observes, "Not to speak boastfully, but it is perhaps the only book you will ever need to own on the subject of wrapping Roy Orbison in clingfilm."

Fans called this singer/songwriter "The Voice."

This biography reveals the rock music legend’s dramatic life story, from his Texas youth and rise to stardom to his personal tragedies and untimely death. A true legend of American popular music, Roy Orbison perfected the soulful rock ballad, recording such perennial hits as “Only the Lonely” and “Crying.” In Dark Star, biographer Ellis Amburn reveals the stories behind his achingly beautiful sound. Amburn explores Orbison’s rockabilly roots, his first deal with Sun Records, and his numerous Billboard Top 40 hits. Amburn then delves into the personal tragedies, including the sudden deaths of his wife and two of his children, that led to his obscurity. His return to stardom is also covered in detail, including his work with the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys and his posthumous hit single “You got It.”

(Guitar Chord Songbook). This collection includes 38 songs: Blue Bayou * California Blue * Candy Man * Communication Breakdown * Crying * Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) * Falling * I Drove All Night * I'm Hurtin' * In Dreams * It's Over * Mean Woman Blues * Oh, Pretty Woman * Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel) * Pretty Paper * Running Scared * Working for the Man * You Got It * and more.

For the first time, legendary performer Roy Orbison's story as one of the most beloved rock legends will be revealed through family accounts and records. Roy Orbison is a rock and roll icon almost without peer. He came of age as an artist on the venerable Sun Records label; toured with The Beatles; had massive hits in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s; invented the black-clad, sunglasses-wearing image of the rock star; and reinvented the art of songwriting many times over. He is a member of the Rock & Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame, a recipient of the Musicians Hall of Fame's inaugural Iconic Riff Award, and the winner of multiple GRAMMY® awards. He is known the world over for hits like "Blue Bayou," "You Got It," and "Oh, Pretty Woman" and was a member of the band that inspired the term "supergroup"-the Traveling Wilburys, with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty. Despite these and countless other accolades, the story of Roy Orbison's life is virtually unknown to his millions of fans around the world. Now, for the first time ever, the Orbison Estate, headed by Roy's sons, Wesley, Roy Jr., and Alex Orbison, has set out to set the record straight. The Authorized Roy Orbison tells the epic tale of a West Texas boy, drawn to the guitar at age six, whose monumental global career successes were matched at nearly every turn by extraordinary personal tragedies, including the loss of his first wife in a motorcycle accident and his two oldest sons in a fire. It's a story of the intense highs and severe lows that make up the mountain range of Roy Orbison's career; one that touched four decades and ended abruptly at perhaps its highest peak, when he passed away at the age of fifty-two on December 6, 1988. Filled with hundreds of photographs, many never before seen, gathered from across the globe and uncovered from deep within the Orbison Vault, The Authorized Roy Orbison shows Roy Orbison as a young child and follows him all the way through to the peak of his stardom and up to his tragic end. Wesley, Roy Jr., and Alex Orbison-Roy's Boys-have left no stone unturned in order to illustrate the people, places, things, and events that forged their father, the man behind those famous sunglasses.

I Love You a Thousand Ways is the story of one of the most loved, respected, and imitated singer/songwriters in the history of country music, a man whose songs touched the lives of millions of people. Lefty Frizzell’s relaxed style of singing proved to be a huge influence on a wide variety of country and pop music stars such as Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones, John Fogerty, George Strait, and Tim McGraw. In addition to his incredible vocal talents, Lefty was widely recognized for his songwriting skills. He had four songs in the country top ten at the same time in 1951—a feat that would only be repeated one more time on any chart, when The Beatles had five songs on the pop chart in 1964. Among Lefty’s many hits are: “If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time,” “Mom and Dad’s Waltz,” “The Long Black Veil,” and “Saginaw, Michigan.” Willie Nelson’s 1977 album, To Lefty From Willie, was a tribute to Frizzell and consisted entirely of cover versions of Frizzell songs. Fellow Texan Roy Orbison was also a devout fan of Frizzell’s sound. In 1988, as a part of the Traveling Wilburys, Orbison chose the name “Lefty Wilbury” in honor of his musical hero. Lefty was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. I Love You a Thousand Ways is a long overdue, beautiful tribute to one of the most underrated musicians of all time, a man whose music continues to influence new generations of musicians and music fans.