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Today in Music History: Celebrating Roy Orbison

April 23, 2014

History Highlight:

Roy Orbison was born today in 1936. A singer-songwriter and guitarist best known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads, Orbsion's career had it's first peak in the early 1960s but was revived again in the 1980s when he performed as part of the supergroup The Travelling Wilburys. While most men in rock and roll in the 1950s and 1960s portrayed a defiant masculinity, many of Orbison's songs instead conveyed a quiet, desperate vulnerability. He was known for performing while standing still and solitary, wearing black clothes and dark sunglasses which lent an air of mystery to his persona.

Also, Today In:

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1978 - Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious filmed his version of "My Way" for the Sex Pistols' film The Great Rock n Roll Swindle.

1991 - Founder member of The New York Dolls Johnny Thunders (John Anthony Genzale, Jr), died of a drug overdose.

2008 - Amy Winehouse went out on a drink and drug-fuelled spree and hit and head-butted two men.