In 1963, a shy man from Texas boarded a plane and made a mistake that should have ruined his career. Roy Orbison was touring with a musical band The Beatles when he accidentally left his regular prescription glasses in the seat pocket – with no backup pair.
The only thing he had in his bag was a pair of thick, dark prescription sunglasses. He walked onto the stage that night feeling embarrassed and exposed. But he had no other choice if he wanted to see the strings on his guitar.
He stood perfectly still on the stage. His mind focused only on not stumbling. This fear shaped his new identity. The cameras flashed. The photos spread across the globe. And the Man in Black was born out of an accident.
Roy Orbison – You Got It (Official Video)
One fan mentioned that his stillness made every note feel more important than the last. Another viewer said that Roy did not need to see the audience because his voice could touch their souls anyway.
That shy man eventually found a partner named Barbara who understood the man behind the dark lenses. She helped him step back into the light during the late 1980s for a massive comeback.
Roy Orbison VH1 To Hell and Back 1992
The music he made in his final years was filled with a new kind of strength and peace. In his final performances he looks calm and happy for the first time.
His journey from a nervous kid with the wrong glasses to a global icon is a story for the ages. We will never hear another voice quite like his in our lifetime.
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