Barry relives the Big O’s top hits

Roy Orbison And Friends offers a celebratory night for what would have been the Big O’s 75th birthday (Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, Sunday, July 24, 7.45pm).

Barry Steele, who performed to rave reviews in the hit show Rockin’ On Heavens Door, brings Orbison’s music and character back to life.

And all because of a chance, impromptu performance at a holiday camp.

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Birmingham-based Roy said: “I started performing as Orbison 11 years ago, all by chance. I was never a singer before. I used to drive heavy-goods lorries.

“We were on holiday in Cornwall and my wife and daughter got me up to sing while we were at the holiday resort. It was like a ‘kids get your parents up to entertain us’ type thing.

“It was the first time I had ever sung in front of two and a half hundred people, but it went down so well that I got a real buzz out of it. It was a Robbie Williams song, actually, but there was another father that came up to me afterwards and asked me if I was a singer on the circuit. I said no, I just drove lorries.

“He said that I sounded like a professional and that I also sounded like Roy Orbison singing a Robbie Williams song. We came home from the holiday and I very quickly learnt some new songs.”

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Barry admits he was never particularly a Roy Orbison fan, but he is now: “He has such a fabulous, unique voice. He was an artist that when he began to sing, you could just hear a pin drop in the room. His voice was just fantastic. It was such a fantastic range that he had.”

Barrys’ show features all Orbison’s classic hits, including Only The Lonely, Crying, and Blue Angel right through to Orbison’s later hits California Blue and You Got It, as well as the Travelling Wilburys, whose music also features in the show.

Support comes from Barry’s five-piece show band, who will also perform hits from The Shadows, Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis among others. Special guests are David Wickenden as Buddy Holly and Steve Halliday as GI Elvis.

Tickets on 01903 206206.