Barbara Orbison
Encyclopedia
Barbara Orbison is an entrepreneur, music producer/publisher and the widow of American
Rock and Roll
legend, Roy Orbison
.
On July 21, 1968, a 17-year-old Barbara Wellhoener Jakobs met a 32-year-old Roy Orbison when he asked friends to introduce him to the German
beauty. They were in a nightclub in Leeds
, England
during Orbison's tour of Britain
. They married on March 24, 1969 in Hendersonville, Tennessee
. They lived in Nashville and in Malibu, California. They raised three sons, Wesley Orbison (1965), Roy Kelton Orbison, Jr. (1970), and Alexander Orbie Lee Orbison (1975).
During the 1980s, Barbara Orbison managed her husband's career and was the executive producer of his 1987 album, In Dreams: The Greatest Hits
plus his highly acclaimed January 1988 televised music special, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night
.
Following her husband's death in December 1988, she took charge of his business affairs and has dedicated herself to promoting his music to ensuing generations. She worked with friend and fellow artist Jeff Lynne
to put together the posthumous release of the King of Hearts album in 1992 (an album which was re-issued in 2007 by Sony BMG after they took charge of Virgin's catalog in 2005) as well as other record projects. Barbara Orbison co-produced "Only the Lonely: The Roy Orbison Story," a European stage musical.
In late 1993, the family home was destroyed by brush fires that swept through her property and that of many others in the Malibu area. Although she maintains a residence on the West Coast
, Orbison returned to Nashville where she purchased a home as well as a commercial property to house her music publishing business. Her company, "Still Working Music, employs songwriters such as Tommy Lee James
and Billy Burnette
.
Orbison has been involved with charitable causes in aid of the homeless. For Showtime, in 1991, she produced a Roy Orbison tribute at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles
that raised in excess of $1 million for the city's homeless. In addition, she personally funds "Orbison House," a 21-unit residence for the mentally impaired homeless of Los Angeles
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Rock and Roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
legend, Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
.
On July 21, 1968, a 17-year-old Barbara Wellhoener Jakobs met a 32-year-old Roy Orbison when he asked friends to introduce him to the German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
beauty. They were in a nightclub in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during Orbison's tour of Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They married on March 24, 1969 in Hendersonville, Tennessee
Hendersonville, Tennessee
Hendersonville is a city in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, on Old Hickory Lake. The population was 51,372 at the 2010 census. Hendersonville is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located 18 miles northeast of downtown Nashville. The city was settled around 1784 by...
. They lived in Nashville and in Malibu, California. They raised three sons, Wesley Orbison (1965), Roy Kelton Orbison, Jr. (1970), and Alexander Orbie Lee Orbison (1975).
During the 1980s, Barbara Orbison managed her husband's career and was the executive producer of his 1987 album, In Dreams: The Greatest Hits
In Dreams: The Greatest Hits
In Dreams: The Greatest Hits is a music album of Roy Orbison songs released in 1987 on Virgin Records. The two-record set was produced by Roy Orbison and Mike Utley except for the song "In Dreams" which was produced by Orbison with T Bone Burnett and film director, David Lynch...
plus his highly acclaimed January 1988 televised music special, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night
Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night
Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night is a 1988 Cinemax television special originally broadcast on January 3, 1988 starring Hall of Fame singer/songwriter Roy Orbison. The special was filmed entirely in black and white...
.
Following her husband's death in December 1988, she took charge of his business affairs and has dedicated herself to promoting his music to ensuing generations. She worked with friend and fellow artist Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
to put together the posthumous release of the King of Hearts album in 1992 (an album which was re-issued in 2007 by Sony BMG after they took charge of Virgin's catalog in 2005) as well as other record projects. Barbara Orbison co-produced "Only the Lonely: The Roy Orbison Story," a European stage musical.
In late 1993, the family home was destroyed by brush fires that swept through her property and that of many others in the Malibu area. Although she maintains a residence on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
, Orbison returned to Nashville where she purchased a home as well as a commercial property to house her music publishing business. Her company, "Still Working Music, employs songwriters such as Tommy Lee James
Tommy Lee James
Tommy Lee James is an American country music songwriter and record producer. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, he is originally from Roanoke, Virginia. He graduated from Northside High School then attended Radford University where he studied voice...
and Billy Burnette
Billy Burnette
William Beau "Billy" Burnette III is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter who was part of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1995. Burnette also had a brief career in acting.-Family background:...
.
Orbison has been involved with charitable causes in aid of the homeless. For Showtime, in 1991, she produced a Roy Orbison tribute at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
that raised in excess of $1 million for the city's homeless. In addition, she personally funds "Orbison House," a 21-unit residence for the mentally impaired homeless of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.