Here is, bar none, the most all-inclusive anthology ever assembled to honor the greatest singer ever considered to be a "Rock and Roll artist." But Roy Kelton Orbison was so much more: behind his ever-present sunglasses and beneath his shock of raven-black hair, clad in black, he was rock's Mystery Man, the possessor of the most glorious voice ever to soar on such signature songs as "Only The Lonely," "In Dreams," "Running Scared," "Crying" and "Oh, Pretty Woman," to cite a mere handful of his Top Ten hits.

As Orbison's widow, Barbara, who is also this collection's Executive Producer, points out in her loving annotation contained in this four-CD package: "For the first time, you will have a chance to hear Roy's first recording to the last time he ever sang--Dec. 4, 1988, in Akron, Ohio. Roy recorded for several different labels [including 15 covered in this 107-song collection] and toured the world many, many times--we have numerous unreleased masters [specifically, 12 in this package] and live performances included in this box set to make it truly special."

Customer Rating:
Summary: All the Roy You Could Want!
Comment: A coworker of mine got a copy of this box set, and I wasn't overly familiar with Roy's music beforehand. Still, I'm always open to listening to new stuff, and checked it out and LOVED it! There's an almost overwhelming amount of material here, and every time I go back to listen to this, I hear something new.

The book that comes with the set does a great job of covering every part of Roy's career, which starts with a heart-felt intro from Barbara Orbison, Roy's widow. She was the driving force to get this box set made, and it shows that this was a labor of love for everyone involved. Tons of demos, live recordings, and little-known alternate mixes are present, as well as all the hits that everyone knows (even if they didn't know it was a Roy Orbison song!).

This box set would make a great gift for any music fan this year. I highly recommend it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: My memories of rock and roll
Comment: What great music! When listening to this box set I can close my eyes and re-live several decades of my life. When these CDs were brought to my attention, I had to hear a sample...and I was not disappointed. Songs Like Crying, Candy Man, Blue Bayou, Mean Women Blues (sung better then Elvis'), What I Say? (as good as, if not better, than Ray Charles).Wow! What memories! Roy had such a unique voice...hitting high notes as only he could In buying this box set I'm taking a trip back in time. Hey Roy, thanks for the memories.
Joe (uncle Buck) Schwering
Apopka FL.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Fabulous Walk Down Memory Lane
Comment: If you are looking for a fabulous walk down memory lane that will put a smile on your face, this is it!!! This 4 CD collection is all it's promised to be. It is beautifully arranged and executed from beginning to end and will warm your heart.

A life long fan.....Elena

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Must-Hear Collection
Comment: I've got a confession to make - I never really listened to a ton of Roy Orbison until really recently. It's not that I particularly disliked his music, I just hadn't been too familiar with him more than his huge singles - "Pretty Woman," "Crying," "Only the Lonely," etc.

After a recommendation from a friend for this box set, I decided I should give it a shot. (the price on Amazon is great, btw!) It arrived pretty quickly, and I popped in disc 1 while I was at work, and wound up listening to the whole thing during the day. If you've ever had an interest in Roy or the roots of rock and roll in general, this is a must-hear box set of some fantastic material.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Boxset I Shall Cherish
Comment: Thank you Barbara and Roy Jr. so very much for this music. I'm a big fan of Roy's music. If there was a top 10 list of favorite singers and songwriters in my book, Roy would be awarded 1st place.

Considering that Roy's closest friends noted him for his absolute humanity and humility, I like to think that says a lot about the man. I mean never had alcohol problems, never been in trouble with the law, never used profanity at all in his lyrics. I truly think that many singers and songwriters could learn something from Roy Orbison. Seriously, I haven't had any problems with Roy's music, and I certainly have always been comfortable reading about Roy himself.

Come to think of it, he was one of five frontsmen of the Traveling Wilbury's. When I first heard of the Wilbury's, I felt inspired to not only buy more of Roy's music, but to also read about the man.

Lastly, I just bought this boxset and it's absolutely wonderful. I must admit that there are quite a few songs that I haven't even heard of. But favorites such as " Love Hurts", "Borne on the Wind", and "A Love So Beautiful" just to name a few certainly deserve to be adored for generations. God Bless Roy Orbison and his family! Thank you!

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