Roy Orbison gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star

[January 30, 2010]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Late rock 'n' roll pioneer Roy Orbison has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Orbison's widow Barbara accepted the star in front of the Capitol Records building on his behalf on Friday. Orbison died in 1988 at the age of 52, in the midst of a comeback with The Traveling Wilburys, a whimsical supergroup that included Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.

Lynne attended the ceremony, as did Eric Idle, Chris Isaak, Joe Walsh and Dwight Yoakam.

Orbison was famous for the wide range of his distinctive and emotional voice, especially in his songs about unrequited love like "Only the Lonely," "Crying," "In Dreams" and "Oh, Pretty Woman."

Actor Dan Aykroyd says Orbison was a great balladeer and a great rock 'n' roller who could be both gentle and vicious.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.