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Roy Orbison (King of Hearts)
List Price:
$29.00
| Expected release date is Apr 28th 2026 |
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Product Details
Author:
Jeff Apter
Format:
Hardcover
Pages:
240
Publisher:
Kensington (April 28, 2026)
Imprint:
Citadel
Release Date:
April 28, 2026
Language:
English
Audience:
General/trade
ISBN-13:
9780806544632
ISBN-10:
0806544635
Weight:
14.4oz
Dimensions:
6.29" x 9.31" x 0.84"
File:
RandomHouse-PRH_Book_Company_PRH_PRT_Onix_delta_active_D20260406T234753_155762883-20260406.xml
Folder:
RandomHouse
List Price:
$29.00
Country of Origin:
United States
Pub Discount:
65
Case Pack:
32
As low as:
$22.33
Publisher Identifier:
P-RH
Discount Code:
A
QuickShip:
Yes
Overview
The definitive biography of one of music history’s most beloved, versatile, unforgettable icons—Roy Orbison, the singer-songwriter of legendary hits including “Only the Lonely,” “Crying,” and “Oh, Pretty Woman”—from his chart-topping highs and tragic lows to his momentous comeback.
He didn’t look, move, or sound like his contemporaries, but Roy Orbison, king of the emotionally charged, slow-burning, drama-ballad, struck a worldwide chord. Now, from acclaimed music biographer Jeff Apter, comes the definitive biography of one of music history’s most beloved, versatile, singer-songwriter legends.
Clad in black with dark shades, Roy Orbison had a mystique, style, and voice that were unmistakable and singularly different from his famous peers of the 1950s and ’60s, like Johnny Cash, Elvis, or Jerry Lee Lewis. Roy hit notes that, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, sounded “like the world’s going to end.”
Born in Vernon, Texas, Roy was the son of a guitar-playing oil worker. Already a music fan by age 6, Roy went on to form a high school band. Honky-tonk gigs followed. Then a contract at Elvis Presley’s label, Sun Records, where Roy found mentors and friends among the likes of Carl Perkins. Following a shift to Monument Records, he shared a bill with a group called the Beatles, who were huge fans of his.
After experimenting with different styles, Roy edged closer to a sound all his own. He found it with smash singles including “Only the Lonely,” “Crying,” and “Oh, Pretty Woman,” songs heavy with pathos and remarkable vocals. It was gold. But what lay ahead was a professional downswing, and personal tragedy with the death of his wife and two sons. 20 lean years followed. Yet Roy Orbison was far from over.
Amid the rockabilly revival of the 1980s and the formation of the British-American supergroup the Traveling Wilburys—with, among others, Jeff Lynne, who would eventually produce Roy’s posthumous albums—Roy’s comeback was legendary. Asked how he’d like to be remembered, Roy said, “One day when they are mentioning people who had an impact, if they just mention me among the rest of the guys and gals, it would be great.” He got his wish. Roy Orbison: King of Hearts seals it.
He didn’t look, move, or sound like his contemporaries, but Roy Orbison, king of the emotionally charged, slow-burning, drama-ballad, struck a worldwide chord. Now, from acclaimed music biographer Jeff Apter, comes the definitive biography of one of music history’s most beloved, versatile, singer-songwriter legends.
Clad in black with dark shades, Roy Orbison had a mystique, style, and voice that were unmistakable and singularly different from his famous peers of the 1950s and ’60s, like Johnny Cash, Elvis, or Jerry Lee Lewis. Roy hit notes that, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, sounded “like the world’s going to end.”
Born in Vernon, Texas, Roy was the son of a guitar-playing oil worker. Already a music fan by age 6, Roy went on to form a high school band. Honky-tonk gigs followed. Then a contract at Elvis Presley’s label, Sun Records, where Roy found mentors and friends among the likes of Carl Perkins. Following a shift to Monument Records, he shared a bill with a group called the Beatles, who were huge fans of his.
After experimenting with different styles, Roy edged closer to a sound all his own. He found it with smash singles including “Only the Lonely,” “Crying,” and “Oh, Pretty Woman,” songs heavy with pathos and remarkable vocals. It was gold. But what lay ahead was a professional downswing, and personal tragedy with the death of his wife and two sons. 20 lean years followed. Yet Roy Orbison was far from over.
Amid the rockabilly revival of the 1980s and the formation of the British-American supergroup the Traveling Wilburys—with, among others, Jeff Lynne, who would eventually produce Roy’s posthumous albums—Roy’s comeback was legendary. Asked how he’d like to be remembered, Roy said, “One day when they are mentioning people who had an impact, if they just mention me among the rest of the guys and gals, it would be great.” He got his wish. Roy Orbison: King of Hearts seals it.
