December 6th - A Tragic Day for the Orbison Family

The news today that Barbara Orbison, the wife and manager of the iconic rock star Roy, has died of pancreatic cancer at the age of just 60 is awfully sad. The fact theat she died yesterday on the 23rd anniversary of her husband's death makes it that much more poigniant.

Barbara and Roy Orbison
Source: BBC News

They met in 1968 when she was 17 and he was 32 and they married 9 months later.

He divorced his first wife Claudette (yes, THE Claudette) before re-marrying her but she was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1966. Whilst touring England in 1968, he heard the news that his home in Tennessee had burned down and his two eldest sons were killed in the fire.

Roy died of a heart attack aged just 52 on December 6th 1988 just as he had found a new lease of life with the Traveling Wilbury's.

He was a giant of rock and roll and I am huge, huge, huge fan.

They are survived by Roy's remaining son with Claudette, Wesley and by his two sons with Barbara, Kelton Orbison Jr and Alexander Orbison.

For them and for all 'Big O' fans out there, there is only one song that I can play at this sad time. It's the one place where nobody ever dies.

'In Dreams...'