Roy Orbison Lonely and Blue (Vinyl LP) * * *

Often compared to an opera singer, Roy Orbison is universally acknowledged as the ultimate vocalist. His ability to hit a multiple four-octave range and keep perfect pitch, tone and expression is unparalleled. Orbison's career began at Sun Records in the late-50s when he sang country and western but his ballad style evolved once he switched to Monument and had 22 songs chart in the Top 40. Roy's album sales were huge and for a period in the '60s he single-handedly bridged the divide between rock and roll and chart pop music. His Monument debut Roy Orbison Sings Lonely And Blue (1961) marked The Big O's first taste of superstardom. In 1960 alone, Orbison had two Top 10 hits with "Only The Lonely" and "Blue Angel" (both found on this LP), followed by six more over the next four years and culminating in 1964 when his "Oh, Pretty Woman" made him a living legend!