This year is the 50th anniversary of the classic song ‘Pretty Woman’ and I am talking to perhaps the world’s greatest Roy Orbison tribute artist, Australia’s own Dean Bourne, about the special anniversary and his celebrating, by taking his tribute show around Australia including Tasmania.
Dean agrees that the song, with its 12 bar riffs that catch you at the start is ‘timeless’ and is still as ‘fresh’ as it was 50 years ago but that freshness could be attributed to much of Roy’s music. Roy had ‘an incredible voice that delivered something different from mainstream’ says Deane and Roy could easily blend into pop, rock and opera. He was also one of the first artists who used a big string section.
Dean has been performing his Roy Orbison tribute show for over 17 years and there is not much he doesn’t know about the enigmatic star. Dean’s dad was also a singer and would often play Roys music so Dean became a fan while growing up.
Such is Roy’s enduring popularity and the popularity of Dean’s tribute show that it is the fifth year in a row that Dean has brought the show to Tasmania.
Dean says ‘Tasmania is a beautiful part of the world’ but that’ unfortunately’ on tour he does not see a lot of the state, although a few years ago he was able to spend some time travelling around and recalls’ the beauty of the coast, Strahan, Hobart, it’s harbour and the climate’.
On his first performance in Tasmania, 5 years ago Dean couldn’t believe ‘the wonderful support’ he received here and of course he loves playing at The Theatre Royal. This time he will also play at The Tram Shed Function Centre in Launceston, a venue he has not played at as yet.
In last year’s show Dean was joined by a Johnny Cash tribute artist and the show concentrated on Roy’s relationship with Johnny. Roy and Johnny were very close friends even being close neighbours at one time. This year Dean as Roy teams up with Del Shannon (Fallon) again Roy and Del were friends, Roy admired the recordings Del did of his songs and the two did a UK tour together. One thing Dean didn’t know until recently was that was in the late 80s after Roy had passed away’TheTraveling Willbury’s’ Jeff Lynne wanted Del Shannon to join the band (perhaps evidence of that is the fact was that ‘Runaway’ was the only song by The Wilburys that they didn’t write themselves), unfortunately, due to Del himself passing away, this was never realised.
Dean brings an authenticity to his performance as Roy with the costumes and hair (which his wife helps with!) and the same sunglasses as Roy. The guitars too, are authentic, as Dean Plays ‘The Gibson 335′ that Roy himself used. Dean tells me that he had the chance to purchase a pair of Roy’s own sunglasses when the offer was made to him by Roys brother Sam, which he declined at the time although he says, in hindsight they would have been ‘a nice investment’.
Dean gets special satisfaction when after each show there are always a few people who have actually seen Roy Orbison in concert and tell Dean, with his performance, they ‘had seen him(Roy) again’.
Dean’s successful tour started back in February and is being well received all around Australia.
You can see ’50th anniversary- Roy Orbison and Del Shannon Together in Concert’ at The Tram shed Function Centre on Fri 12 September and at The Theatre Royal on Sat 13th September.
Paula Xiberras
