Book Review: Roy Orbison: King of Hearts by Jeff Apter

A Solid Piece about One of America's Most Beloved Singers

Jeff Apter’s Roy Orbison: King of Hearts is more of a song-by-song retrospective of the man and legend’s catalogue of work rather than a ribald exposé about the Orbison’s exploits or controversies. The reason: Orbison did not seem to have many exploits or controversies to speak of. Yes, he had his share of moments, but haven’t we all? We are human, and so was Orbison; and, in a way, Apter is trying to present this point to readers in what is a very straight-forward biography about how much Orbison meant to the music industry. Indeed, he had loves and losses, trials and tribulations, friendships and break-ups, happiness and tragedies; however, based on how the book represents him, none of his reactions to these things are out-of-the-ordinary or lead him down a deviant path of personal destruction. Instead, like the Travelling Wilbury he was, Orbison kept on keeping on, making music and entertaining fans.

This does not mean, though, Orbison’s life was not eventful or did not have its fair share of struggle. His career lasted over thirty years, and in that time, he had many ups and downs in a difficult industry to succeed in. He made his money and did a great job in making sure he had enough throughout his life. When he was not successful at a particular record company, Orbison was able to pivot without changing up his signature style (the man in black, with prescription sunglasses). If his records were not selling, he made sure to supplement his income by going to places where he knew he was popular, particularly to the United Kingdom and Australia, to perform live. He wanted to become a movie star like Elvis Presley did, but after he made one movie that did not do so well (The Fastest Guitar Alive), he moved on to other aspirations, setting his sights on other adventures. He seemed to understand with every “Oh, Pretty Woman” and “Crying” and “Falling” and “In Dreams” that there was going to work that just did not land. That did not mean his professional failures did not get to him and that several horrific personal tragedies did not depress him—his wife, Claudette, was killed in a motorcycle accident and, later, two of his children were killed when his house burned down—but he always went back to picking up his guitar and singing for the masses. Apter gives readers the sense that Orbison was a work horse, and that his drive and passion kept him going, maybe even to his detriment—Orbison had heart problems that led to his untimely death at the young age of 52-years-old.

What one suspects is that Apter had a great deal of information about Orbison’s work projects but did not have so much about his personal life, because Orbison stayed relatively mum about that part of his world. In interviews, news broadcasts, videoed interviews, and with the benefit of hearsay, Apter gets enough data to weave a workable narrative about the man; however, Roy Orbison: King of Hearts ends up being more about the performer, a performer that never seemed to get a steady foothold on his career until nearer to the end of his life, when he was becoming more and more recognized as the genius and talent he was. Apter may have some holes to fill but, overall, he provides a solid work of Orbison’s canon and how he became the rockabilly entertainer listeners came to adore.