"If you ever had the chance to see Roy Orbison perform live, you'd know that his concerts weren't just shows—they were emotional experiences," says Roy Orbison Jr., the late singer's son. "People walked away deeply moved, often with tears in their eyes."
Roy Jr. recalls one such moment when he was just a kid, attending one of his father's concerts. Sitting close to the stage, he couldn't help but cry, overwhelmed by the beauty of his dad's voice. Sensing his son's emotional response, Roy Orbison himself sent a stage manager over to gently ask Roy Jr. to move farther back. Seeing his son cry was simply too much for the performer who had endured so much heartbreak himself. "He was incredibly sensitive, both as a father and as an artist," Roy Jr. explains to Closer.
Remembering Roy Orbison: The Voice That Moved Generations
Many remember Roy Orbison as "the Big O," the iconic singer draped in black with dark sunglasses, whose voice could soar effortlessly from baritone to tenor. He was both captivating and enigmatic. "He had this strange presence. When he walked into a room, it felt like a ghost had entered," says Roy Jr., who recently appeared on Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean. Perhaps this aura stemmed from the personal tragedies Roy had faced and tried to leave behind.
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A Musical Journey Begins in Texas
Roy Orbison's career took off at the age of 20 when he began recording at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, alongside legends like Elvis Presley and lifelong friend Johnny Cash. It wasn't long before "Only the Lonely" climbed to No. 2 on the charts, propelling him to stardom with hits like "Pretty Woman." "I liked the sound of my voice," Roy once admitted. "I liked making it sing, making it ring."
But for all his success, Roy faced personal struggles. "He was addicted to the road," Roy Jr. explains. This constant absence put a strain on his marriage to his first wife, Claudette Frady, with whom he had three sons. They divorced in 1964, though they eventually reconciled. Tragically, Claudette died in his arms after a motorcycle accident, and just 18 months later, Roy learned that his two eldest sons had perished in a fire that destroyed their Tennessee home. "He got hit hard, one blow after another," Roy Jr. says. Yet, despite everything, his father remained resilient. "He would've said he didn't suffer more tragedy than others," Roy Jr. adds.
A New Chapter with Barbara Jakobs
Before the loss of his sons, Roy met Barbara Jakobs, a woman who brought light back into his life. "She came into his life when he was in a dark place, and she revitalized him," Roy Jr. shares. They married and started a new family, and Roy chose to move forward without looking back. Despite the ups and downs of his career—his success waned
