THE Roy Orbison Story is coming to The Core Theatre this week with the great Barry Steele once again playing the hits and more of the Big O himself.
In fact Barry sounds so similar to the great Roy Orbison he has to include some of the songs he didn’t sing, just to prove to audiences he’s not miming!
It’s all a far cry from his time in the RAF when he was stationed at RAF Waddington, Scampton, and RAF Tongeren in Belgium.
He also drove Green Goddesses during the firefighters’ strike.
It was at Waddington that he met Lynne his wife, and it was during his time in the forces that he and Lynne raised their young family.
Their daughter Leonie was born whilst Barry was serving in Belgium, and the military tradition continued as Leonie went on to become a Squadron Leader in the RAF.
After he left he became a long-distance lorry driver, and it was during those long lonely hours out on the road that he began singing to artists as diverse as Michael Jackson, Wet Wet Wet, and Chris Rea.
It was on a family holiday in Cornwall that Leonie entered him into a singing competition and a fellow competitor told him: “You know you sound just like Roy Orbison singing Robbie Williams!”
And so with the help of family and friends a tribute to The ‘Big O’ was born.
Barry quickly became enveloped in the music and sheer magic that was Roy Orbison, his aim was simple, his vision clear, to deliver the songs to Roy Orbison fans in the same manner in which they were originally performed.
He hasn’t looked back since and has toured New Zealand, Holland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Ireland.
Whilst in the United States he sang in front of Roy’s son Wesley, and dueted with Bill Dees the co-writer of many of Roy’s great songs.
Now he’s back at The Core for what promises to be two great nights right here in Solihull this Thursday and Friday, October 14 and 15.
Tickets are £24 on 0121 704 6962 or book online at https://www.thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk/
