Elvis Presley is the undisputed king of rock and roll. His music was marked by his great voice, talent, and charisma. However, just as The Beatles were mainly motivated by Elvis’ work, the singer himself was fond of one famous American star.
The King had a profound love for American rockabilly singer Roy Orbison. The latter is known for his harsher sonic music tone and signature look (he wore a black, slicked-back haircut and wide Ray-Bans). However, Elvis cherished his music and adopted his dress sense as his own career progressed.
Elvis claims Orbison is the greatest singer in the world
Roy is popularly known as The Big O, and he was one of the biggest acts in the world during the mid-’60s. Nicknamed “The Caruso of Rock,” he was the forerunner for other singers like Elvis and The Beatles as this gave them a mapped-out path when their time came.
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He achieved a remarkable feat in the music industry by selling more than 7 million albums worldwide, but, most importantly, he gained Elvis’ unwavering respect. While on stage at his Las Vegas residency shows, Elvis told his audience that Orbison was “the greatest singer in the world.”
Elvis comments on Orbison’s voice
Throughout Elvis’ music career, he covered tracks from artists such as Frank Sinatra and The Beatles during live performances. Still, Elvis refused to cover any of Orbison’s songs despite their closeness and tour together.
The reason for this is that Elvis felt he didn’t possess the tone it takes to sing any of Orbison’s songs better than the original recordings. He later revealed that Orbison had “the most perfect voice.” The interesting thing about the duo is that they showed mutual love and respect for each other. Orbison was noted to have attended many of Elvis’ shows throughout his lifetime, and on special occasions, he was invited to open the stage for The King.
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