Barbara Orbison, the widow of Roy Orbison, has died 23 years to the day she lost her husband. She was 60.
Barbara and Roy Orbison
17-year old Barbara met 32-year old Roy in 1968. They married nine months later.
The couple had three children, Wesley (1965), Roy Jr (1970) and Alexander (1975).
Barbara took over the management of Roy’s career in the 1980’s and was listed as Executive Producer for his 1987 album ‘In Dreams: The Greatest hits’ and his TV special ‘Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night’.
In 1988, Roy reinvented himself with the album ‘Mystery Girl’ featuring the title track written by Bono and the hit single ‘You Got It’. He then joined supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, also featuring Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty.
Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at 52 on December 6, 1988. Barbara passed away on December 6, 2011, exactly 23 years to the day after Roy’s death.
