An Interview with Barbara Orbison

Barbara Orbison, Roy Orbison's widow, is the executive producer of the new APT Premium Service pledge special, ROY ORBISON LIVE FROM AUSTRALIA

Q: Tell us about Roy Orbison Live From Australia. What makes this particular performance so special?

A: What makes it really, really special is that we do not have lots of Roy Orbison's live performances. Roy went to Australia — he was one of the very few American musicians that started going there in the early '60s. He would be on tour for a summer with the Beach Boys and then he would be on tour with The Rolling Stones and, by going every year, he really became one of Australia's favorite artists.

Q: This public television special will be the first time American fans will be able to see the show. What should they expect from this performance?

A: Well, they should expect some rarities. You know, whenever you watch something, you want to see something that is very rare when it comes to a legendary performer. "Too Soon to Know" is a really wonderful song. [It] was a big song for Roy in the '60s that charted in Europe.

In those particular years, Roy sometimes would sing somebody else's song. In Australia in Melbourne in 1972, he did sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and he covered a Neil Diamond song — "Sweet Caroline." He hardly ever would play somebody else's song because he just kept up with his own repertoire, but it happened that Neil was in Australia with Roy and wanted Roy to share the stage with him at a Neil Diamond concert. I guess he learned [to sing] "Sweet Caroline" to not let Neil down.

Q: So what made you decide to have this show become available to the U.S. audience?

A: Well, there is really no rhyme or reason to pick a release, but it just so happened that we were really fortunate to have this in our vaults. This Live From Australia — we all love it so much that we felt we wanted to share it with [the] fans.

Q: What is the last production that was released?

A: What was the last thing we released of Roy's? Well, the last project that we just delivered was Black & White Night in High Definition. We were really happy to do this because, luckily in those days, instead of shooting it on video, we shot it on film. So again, we were able to upgrade it to the latest technology.

Q: How often did Roy Orbison tour during his career and did you go with him?

A: Roy enjoyed touring. He toured consistently in some parts of the world. He always worked. I did go on the road with him up to a point. When we had kids in school, it slowed down. But even in the summertime he would take either the kids with him or I would go. So we were all definitely a touring family.

Q: What was touring like for you?

A: It's a wonderful experience because it gets you in different parts of the world. And I loved it. I loved everything that has to do with travel. I still enjoy traveling. You know, on this particular [time] coming back to Australia in 1972, he did a world tour. And that tour included Holland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, England, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Manila and Australia. And the final concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City in December 1972. So there you have it.

Q: Roy also played in Turkey right? What kind of crowd was that?

A: You know, it was an incredible crowd and the reason I remember it so well is because [of the Olympics.] Olympics are supposed to be peaceful, and there were a lot of people shot.* And we had to re-route and we went into Turkey to play and when we checked into the hotel, we were all examined and they checked us and then we found out that the Turkish or some president from one country was staying in the hotel and there were a lot of threats, threats against him. And it was very much like terrorism these days. Roy said that he did not want to take a particular airline out of Turkey. We got an SAS flight that picked us up. When we were in the airport the pilot came and he said, "Mr. Orbison, I have to do a report on why we stopped." Roy said, "Well what does this have to do with me?" He said, "Mr. Orbison, SAS hasn't stopped in Turkey in the last 27 years, and this is the first time. We had to pick you up."

Q: Tell me about the fan base today for Roy's music and why do you think he still resonates with people?

A: You know, I believe Roy thought he was really lucky that he was gifted in two areas that supported one another. He was an incredibly gifted writer, and he had a voice that could put those writings into the here and now. The thing about him was he was totally in the moment. Every word he sang, whether you liked him or not as a singer, conveyed a feeling that he was true to the emotion of every word. So I think that will never change. Once you commit yourself to the truth, nobody can alter it. It's your truth. And I think, when you hear Roy sing today, his songs are still so true.

*During the 1972 Olympics in Munich, "Palestinian terrorists killed two members of the Israeli team and took nine more hostages. In an ensuing battle, all nine Israeli hostages were killed, as were five of the terrorists and one policeman."