Imagine being so good at singing that Elvis Presley is actually scared to follow you on stage. That sounds like a dream. But in 1959, Roy Orbison felt like he was living a nightmare. He had spent years trying to fit in with the loud rock stars of the day.
He was just a shy man with thick glasses who wanted to go home. He decided to stop singing and write songs for other people to make a living.
One day, he sat down with his friend Joe Melson and wrote a song about being sad and alone. They called it ‘Only the Lonely’. It reflected how Roy actually felt. He was standing on the edge of giving up everything he loved. Then he walked up to a microphone and sang the words that changed his whole life.
Roy Orbison – Only the Lonely (1960)
Fans wrote that they have listened to this song for fifty years and it still gives them chills every single time.
Roy did not just win over the fans that night in the studio. Even the King of Rock and Roll had to stop and listen. Elvis Presley was the first person Roy asked to record this song.
Elvis said no at first. But when he heard Roy’s version on the radio, he became one of the biggest fans Roy ever had.
Elvis Presley’s HONEST OPINION On Roy Orbison
He told people that Roy had the greatest voice in the world. He even said he was afraid to go on stage after Roy because no one could beat that sound. It is a beautiful story of two legends who respected each other.
Roy Orbison proved that being different is actually a superpower. His journey from a failing songwriter to a global icon is a lesson to never give up. Follow Roy Orbison on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to hear more of that magic.