Roy Orbison's Performance Of 'Pretty Woman' Is Worth Watching Over And Over Again

Jul 24, 2020

With his melodic voice and impressive range, Roy Orbison captivated audiences as a performer for many years. In 1988, Orbison was the focus of the Roy Orbison and Friend: A Black and White Night telecast.

This aired on Cinemax and featured the legendary singer being backed by the TCB Band, which was known for being Elvis Presley's backing band from the late '60s to the late '70s. The black and white film gave the entire event a timeless feel and was the perfect backdrop for the event that still captivates the viewer to this day. Roy Orbison, surrounded by incredible musicians and celebrities, would go onto sing his hit song, Oh, Pretty Woman.

In 1964, long before that amazing night in 1988, Orbison's single, Oh, Pretty Woman, became a hit on the music scene. As it still does today, the combination of music and Orbison's soulful, crooning voice awoke the passions and longing of audiences to put the song on the charts.

With the song making such an impact, many folks may wonder about the origins of it. Despite its mythical status in the pop music lexicon, it has a very simple beginning. The story goes that Orbison's wife walked into the room while he was writing music and informed him she was going into town to buy something. According to Songfacts, Orbison asked if she needed any money to which she replied, "Pretty woman never needs any money." This stoked Orbison's creative flame and set him to writing.

Although Orbison was the star of the evening, he may not have been the most famous person in the room that evening. The event was being filmed at the Ambassador Hotel's Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles, CA. Orbison's music captured the hearts of some heavy hitters in the music, film, and art scene which was evident by the names in attendance.

Actor Patrick Swayze, comedian Sandra Bernhard, director/artist David Lynch, as well as musicians Billy Idol and Kris Kristofferson, were all in attendance to witness the magic that was about to happen.

In addition to the formidable TCB band, a vast array of accomplished musicians joined Orbison on stage as he sang his hit song. According to the BBC, popular musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and J.D. Souther also graced the stage that night. 

The audience started to roar as they heard the familiar beginning of the tune. As is often the case when a professional musician, like Orbison, plays a classic song, like Oh, Pretty Woman, the performance meets a very enthusiastic response. This 1988 performance sums up why Roy Orbison, and Oh, Pretty Woman, continue to remain popular among music fans. His unique, touching voice and the song's dreamy, peaceful longing for a beautiful woman are relatable on an innate level. His performance of this song at the Coconut Grove nightclub, backed by so many talented musicians and surrounded by famous people, amplified why Orbison and his song became legendary.

What about the 1988 performance of "Oh, Pretty Woman" stands out to you? Let us know your opinion of this performance and the song. This performance of the song still gets played over and over again, so there's definitely a reason why it continues to connect. Give the gift of this performance to your friends and family to find out what they think.