Roy Orbison Gets His Hollywood Star

The great Roy Orbison finally got his star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame on Friday. It was about time!

Thanks to the persistence of his widow, the intrepid and beautiful Barbara, Orbison has lived on well after his death at age 52 in 1989.

The star was unveiled on Vine Street, right in front of the Capitol Records tower, and right next to Garth Brooks. Not bad.

With “Pretty Woman” playing in the background, Barbara and sons Alex and Roy Jr., and Roy’s son Wesley, received the proclamation from the city of Hollywood. Dan Aykroyd (who was there with gorgeous wife Donna Dixon) and T Bone Burnett each spoke about their love of Roy — who didn’t love Roy Orbison, that’s the question!

And Barbara Orbison, in accepting the citation, turned around from the mic and thanked the community of friends who’ve grown around her since Roy’s death: Jeff Lynne, Joe Walsh and his wife Marjorie, Olivia Harrison, Barbara Bach Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Phil Everly, Chris Isaak, Jonathan Clyde from the Beatles’ Apple Records, and so on.

The sun got very warm and buttery just as they unveiled the star, too, and the whole crowd put on signature Roy Orbison sunglasses in the singer’s honor.

One postscript: Roy will be joined nearby on the Walk of Fame on February 8th by none other than… Ringo! The whole gang will return to the scene that night. Nice!