According to ''The Authorized Roy Orbison'', ''Lonely and Blue'' is the debut
studio album by
Roy Orbison for
Monument Records
Monument Records is an American record label in Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958 by Fred Foster, Buddy Deane (a prominent Baltimore disc jockey at WTTG), and business manager Jack Kirby. Buddy Deane soon left ...
, released in January 1961.
The track entitled "Come Back to Me (My Love)" features an almost identical intro to "Only the Lonely" because this is where the vocal figure of "Only the Lonely" came from.
History
After a two-year stint at
Sun Records
Sun Records is an American independent record label founded by producer Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tennessee in February 1952. Sun was the first label to record Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny ...
, Roy Orbison signed up with
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
in 1958, but left after two singles. In early 1959 Orbison's manager
Wesley Rose
Wesley Rose (born February 11, 1918 – April 26, 1990) was an American music industry executive and record producer.
Biography
The son of songwriter Fred Rose, he was born in Chicago and studied to become a chartered accountant. He eventu ...
asked producer and owner
Fred Foster
Fred Luther Foster (July 26, 1931 – February 20, 2019) was an American record producer, songwriter, and music business executive who founded Monument Records. As a record producer he was most closely associated with Roy Orbison, and was also ...
if he was interested in signing him for Monument Records. Foster said yes. The album was recorded at
RCA Studio B
RCA Studio B was a music recording studio built in 1956 in Nashville, Tennessee by RCA Victor. Originally known simply as "RCA Studios," Studio B, along with the larger and later RCA Studio A became known in the 1960s for being an essential fa ...
using two- and three-track tape machines.
Track listing
All tracks recorded 15–17 September 1960, except where indicated.
References
Roy Orbison albums
1961 albums
Albums produced by Fred Foster
Monument Records albums
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