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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Police Reports Schneider Art Museum installation re-imagines Rivera UPDATED: Two lanes open after I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit 10 things to know for Friday Education New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Why OLLI matters: A personal perspective Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Iconic Ashland bookstore to celebrate 35th anniversary on April 19 Test Drive: 2015 Honda Accord Cars We Remember: The original Candymatic Ramchargers Politics and elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Obituaries Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Blazers fight back, edge Jazz Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory High school Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Southern Oregon University Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Voices Latest Stories Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorial Our View: Build it; they will play Our View: How it should work Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Letters Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Top 5 things to do this week Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Theater Ticket availability Ticket Availability Ashland Contemporary Theatre seeks new artistic director Ticket Availability The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Music Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: In ‘Danny Collins,’ Pacino helps us imagine a Lennon story Noah Baumbach talks Ben Stiller, adult comedies and more In 'Timbuktu,' lust for power disturbs peace Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Inner Peace: The good, the bad and the spiritual Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... REVIEW Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Comment By Roberta Kent For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Roberta Kent For the Tidings Posted Jan. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Roberta Kent For the Tidings Posted Jan. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News A musical tribute to Roy Orbison sets a high bar. The sound of this iconic American singer/songwriter’s four-octave vocal range can mesmerize pop music listeners and vocal experts alike. Luckily, Camelot Theatre has Erik Connolly starring in its “Spotlight on Roy Orbison.” Connolly has the range to sing Orbison — as well as the classical training that Orbison never received — and Connolly’s voice can both croon and boom in the surprising way that Orbison’s did. It was apparent from the evening’s first song, “Only the Lonely.” Directed by Presila Quinby with musical direction and arrangements by Karl Iverson, Camelot’s “Spotlight” presents 21 of Orbison’s hits. They range from his earliest, a typical 1950’s-style rock song called “Ooby Dooby,” through “End of the Line/Handle With Care,” a song he wrote and recorded with the Traveling Wilburys, the unlikely pickup band formed in 1987 on a whim by Tom Petty, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Orbison. The evening’s musical styles range from classic rock’n’roll through rhythm-and-blues, jazz, Caribbean and into the complicated and surreal tonalities introduced by the Beatles or Bob Dylan but it is Orbison’s haunting and distinctive tremulous voice that is in the spotlight here. Orbison wrote most of his hit songs, many with collaborators Joe Melson or Bill Dees. This “Spotlight” has his standards like “Pretty Woman,” “Blue Bayou,” “That Lovin’ You Feeling Again” and “Crying,” as well as some of the successful songs written by others, such as “Mean Woman Blues,” “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream?)” or “The Great Pretender.” Connolly accompanies the songs on rhythm guitar. He is backed onstage by a skilled group of local musicians with Brent Norton on lead guitar, Steve Fain on bass, Steve Sutfin on percussion and Iverson on keyboard. The band and backup singers Marlena Gray and Kathleen Marrs provide unobtrusive but effective vocals for Orbison’s often complex harmonies. Gray and Marrs also serve as the evening’s narrators. Like the vocal trajectory in most of his songs, Orbison’s life started out remarkably nondescript, built to a startling crescendo and then ended unexpectedly. Scriptwriter Catherine Noah (city editor of the Mail Tribune) has a good tale to tell and she deftly incorporates Orbison’s own words from interviews and observations by friends and colleagues into the story. Orbison’s natural shyness and awkwardness on stage were responsible for his “look.” He dyed his pale blond hair black and wore all-black clothes to stand out. His trademark thick dark sunglasses — many people thought Orbison was blind — were initially the result of losing his prescription glasses on an airplane before a performance. Hiding behind the dark glasses on stage gave him confidence so he kept them. Orbison’s first wife — whom he met when she was 14 — died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 25. Two of his sons died in a fire at his parents’ home while Orbison was on tour. He met his second wife, a German, while touring Europe. When they married in 1969, she was 17 and he was 33. He underwent triple bypass coronary surgery in 1978 at the age of 42. Orbison continued to tour through the 1970s, finding that while his career faltered in the United States, he was an icon in Europe. He was “rediscovered” in the 1980s, winning a Grammy award for a duet with Linda Ronstadt and seeing his song “In Dreams” — used without his permission — become the surrealistic theme for David Lynch’s cult film “Blue Velvet.” Orbison died of a heart attack in 1988 at the age of 52. “Spotlight on Roy Orbison” plays at Camelot through Sunday, Jan. 25, with performances at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 541-535-5250 or go to www.camelottheatre.org. Roberta Kent is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach her at [email protected]. By Roberta Kent For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Roberta Kent For the Tidings Posted Jan. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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