About David K as Roy Orbison
CONTACT: davidk@davidksongs.com
Having always revered the classic legends of the 50s, 60 and 70’s, David K has sung them all with a passion. From the gravel of Joe Cocker to the high howls of Paul McCartney, he could hit the notes and stylize them. While successfully covering smooth ballads and performing classic rock, blues, pop, country, soul and rockabilly, David’s mantra has always been, “It’s about the song, the great song, and singing it to its best.” Thus upon the historic loss of so many recent legends, with a melancholy look back at the finest tunes ever written, from The Beatles to Elvis, Roy Orbison stands tall with respect among them, and he had that respect from them. The Beatles, Stones and Beach Boys all opened for Roy. Elvis said that Roy had the best voice in rock and roll. Roy is also heralded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. “No matter how many times I sing Roy’s hits. they get me, touch me every time. It’s such an honor.” After decades of performing from his home in Minnesota, to his 5 years in LA, 4 years in Texas, periodic singer songwriting - recording and performing in Nashville, to NYC... from piano bars and solo shows to duo, trio and The David K Band in the Twin Cities... rendering an awesome tribute to Roy Orbison has become an exciting new and growing popular endeavor. “Having listened and learned the operatic and dramatic tunes, to his be-bop 50s, to Roy’s rockabilly, then the songs in film like Blue Bayou, In Dreams and Pretty Woman, it still isn’t over. Then there’s Roy’s comeback with his album Mystery Girl produced by Jeff Lynne of ELO, who he then co-wrote the hits of the Traveling Willburys with Dylan, Harrison, Petty and Jeff... the excellence is unending.” As obvious as it is that Roy went too soon, his songs can live on. We hope you come again and again to celebrate this awesome tribute to a true legend. “We’ll try to add more and mix it up as we grow this show!” Join David K as Roy Orbison on a sweet dream, a step back in time along the path of one man’s career, a man who had a tragic but resilient life. “Roy said, yes that he had tragedy, but he says he had faith, a strong faith, good friends, and his music... his purpose, music, that got him through. Let’s all remember those three things.” We hope you’ll come enjoy the history, the music and the passion that still lives in this music. - David K
How / Why David does Roy Orbison
In 1992 I had a long ponytail, a couple earrings in my ear, ripped jeans and I was carrying my guitar in a case. I jumped into an airport shuttle to rental cars at the L.A. airport. An older gentleman in a suit leaned over and asked me if I wrote songs. I said yes. He said, “Send me one” as he handed me his business card. I asked him, “What do you do for CBS Records Japan?” He said, “I do a lot of things, but mostly I handle Roy Orbison’s catalogue for his widow Barbara. I said, “OK, I’ll go home and write you a Roy style song and send it to you.” I did so. Years went by and I never heard from him. I moved around a lot, it was before cell phones and the internet. I’d like to think that he liked it. Anyway, I didn’t remember this until after I’d begun this tribute. A friend who does a country show heard me sing a high note and suggested I do Roy. I’ve written hundreds of songs, and some just go away, fade from memory because maybe they just don’t stick. This one never left my hands, on the guitar strings, or my voice for the melody, or my heart, for the L.A. memories and the exciting possibilities that this guy could be my “big break.” God has his plan, I just have my drive, my desire, my creativity, my passion for expressing through my music. We performed that song, “It Was A Mistake” mid May in Minneapolis. Here it is.
As we rehearsed in preparation for the show, I’d awaken in the night singing Roy hits, “Pretty Woman...” and I say, “Stop it, Roy, I have to get some sleep.” One night it was Crying, or Leah or Blue Bayou. One night I woke singing, “Lonely Blue Dreams...” I said, “Stop it, Roy!” Then realized it wasn’t a Roy tune. I sat up and wrote down what I’d been dreaming. In Roy’s final interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, they asked Roy, “You have a lot of lonely, blue and dreams in your songs, why not write one with all three?” Roy responded, “Lonely Blue Dreams, I oughta do that.” He soon passed. Did I write it or did Roy send it to me?
Click the link below, LIKE our FACEBOOK group “David K’s Roy Show • royshow.com”