Roy Orbison, the American singer, was a popular sensation in the 70s and 80s. He was famous for his distinct voice and emotional ballads with complex compositions. “Oh Pretty Woman”, “Crying”, and “Only the Lonely” are songs that have topped charts and continue to charm his diehard fans. Interestingly, his trademark was dark sunglasses!
Why did Roy Orbison wear sunglasses?
Other than the fact that was and still is a vogue fashion accessory, this question has been asked particularly of Roy Orbison. Most famous celebrities prefer to wear sunglasses for privacy’s sake in an attempt to walk anonymously in the streets. Some find wearing dark sunglasses comfortable while on stage as a shield against bright lanterns and even from paparazzi flashlights. However, it was his signature look all day, every day. Why? Several speculations have come up trying to explain why Roy Orbison wore sunglasses. Particularly, he wore pitch-black sunglasses, whether on or off stage. First off, all the Orbison children had corrective lenses from an early age. It was therefore assumed that the sunglasses were simply for anti-glare purposes. Being bespectacled was said to have made him self-conscious about his appearance such that it trickled into his life on the stage. He admittedly had stage fright and shyness that he used sunglasses to mask. He wore clear prescription glasses when performing up until when he turned 27, when took a preference for prescription sunglasses. He had mistakenly forgotten his everyday eyeglasses on a plane back in 1963 when he was on tour with the Beatles. As a result, he had to wear his sunglasses on stage. It was a life-changing, image-defining experience for him that he never looked back. He took a liking to wearing dark sunglasses all day to the point where some people assumed he was blind. This new fashion statement made Roy Orbison appear mysterious and he even complemented it with dark suits and emotional ballads. This look earned him an image as an enigmatic, mystical figure that many loved. Despite his passing, his music continues to be remembered and celebrated.
