The man may be unable to come himself but next month the music of Roy Orbison will come to Dubbo.
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You Got It! A Salute to Roy Orbison will be performed by John Stephan at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre on October 8.
Mr Stephan said the show he was bringing to the city was one he had been performing all around the world, including Las Vegas.
The show was about celebrating the singer, Mr Stephan said, and reigniting a love for his music. it also included stories from Roy Orbison’s tragic life, he said.
It was Mr Orbison’s son Wesley who heard Mr Stephan sing and kick started the tribute show. While he has his own original songs and writes for other artists, Mr Stephan said he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“I did a modern version of Crying on my first album and I didn’t think that ten years later I would do an album with all of Roy Orbison’s stuff on it,” the singer said.
Mr Stephan said one of the appeals of the old school musician was that his songs had a great story but also left room for really good vocals.
“I think my parents used to listen to him a lot when I was younger, and my voice is similar in range to Roy Orbison and John Denver and people who used to sing in the ‘60s,” he said.
Mr Stephan said on an emotional level it was easier to sing someone else’s songs than your own.
“It sounds cheesy but whenever you sing a song you become one with the song so either way it feels like your own even if you didn’t write it,” he said.
The singer said he had always wanted to come to Dubbo and was looking forward to performing in the Dubbo theatre.