Roy Orbison
The Last Concert: December 4, 1988
Eagle Records
www.eaglerockent.com
By George W. Harris

As a last will and testament, this disc captures a typical evening with the justly famed Roy Orbison, one of the pioneers of rock and roll, and who always seemed content with his lot in life as a singer for the lonely. Unlike his peers Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, Orbison was never a part of the rebellious part of the musical environment. He just wanted to sing his songs of love and daily living.

Recorded just a couple of days before his sudden death, Orbison, 52 at the time, still had incredible vocal range and purity. Not a crack or warble is detected during his daunting creations like “Crying” or “It’s Over.” His songs like “Working For The Man” and “Mean Woman Blues” consist of the marrow of modern music, and none have ever done them better. The band here is spot on, and while the mix of the vocalists gets a bit overpowering at times, Orbison’s Pagliacci shines through the clutter. With his passing, a needed musical worldview has had its final sunset. Timeless music.