Home/Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Deceased

How Did Roy Orbison Die?

Life & Death

Died aged 52
Also known asTraveling Wilburys, Lefty Wilbury, Roy Kelton Orbison GenderMaleNationalityUnited StatesBorn23/04/1936Born inVernon, Texas, USADied06/12/1988 (aged 52)Died inNashvilleCausemyocardial infarctionWikidataQ188426 ↗Buried atWestwood Village Memorial Park CemeteryTMDb#22868 ↗

Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were in the early 1960s and the late 1980s. Many of Orbison's songs conveyed vulnerability at a time when most male performers projected strength. He performed with minimal motion and in black clothes, matching his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses.

Read full Wikipedia article ↗

Filmography39 titles

YearTitleCharacterAge at
release
2023Roy Orbison at the BBCMovieSelf (archive footage)87
2022Roy Orbison ForeverMovieSelf (archive footage)86
2021McCartney 3, 2, 1SeriesSelf (archive footage)85
2017Roy Orbison: Black and White Night 30MovieSelf81
2017Roy Orbison: Love HurtsMovieHimself (archive footage)81
2015Roy Orbison: One of the Lonely OnesMovieHimself (archive footage)79
2015It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBCMovieSelf (archive footage)79
2014Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - UnraveledMovieSelf (archive footage)78
2009Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Light My FireMovieHimself73
2008Johnny Cash: Live On AirMovieSelf72
2007Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a DreamMovieSelf (archive footage)71
2007The True History Of The Traveling WilburysMovieSelf71
2007The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1980MovieSelf71
2006LegendsSeriesSelf (archive footage)70
2006The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: Million SellersMovieSelf70
2006One for the Money: The Birth of Rock & RollMovie—70
2004Eddie Cochran & Friends: C'mon EverybodyMovieSelf (archive footage)68
2003The Best Of BeatMovieSelf (archive footage)67
2002Roy Orbison - Live at Austin City LimitsMovieHimself66
1999In Dreams: The Roy Orbison StoryMovieSelf (archive footage)63
1999Roy Orbison: The AnthologyMovieSelf (archive footage)63
1997Classic AlbumsSeriesSelf (archive footage)61
1990Lennon: A TributeMovie—54
1988She's Having a BabyMovieRoy Orbison (uncredited)52
1988Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White NightMovieSelf - Lead Vocals/Guitar52
1987Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' RollMovieSelf51
1983Just Our LuckSeries—47
1982WoganSeriesSelf46
1980RoadieMovieSelf44
1977The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1977MovieSelf41
1975Saturday Night LiveSeriesSelf - Musical Guest39
1972The Midnight SpecialSeriesSelf36
1969The Johnny Cash ShowSeriesSelf33
1967The Fastest Guitar AliveMovieJohnny31
1964Shindig!SeriesSelf - Singer28
1964Top of the PopsSeriesSelf28
1964The Roy Orbison ShowMovieHimself28
1958The Dick Clark ShowSeriesSelf22
1948The Ed Sullivan ShowSeriesSelf12