Barry Steele pays tribute to Roy Orbison and the Traveling Wilburys in live show touring to Chesterfield

Barry Steele and Friends – The Roy Orbison Story will have music lovers dancing in the aisles at Chesterfield’s Winding Wheel on Friday, February 17.

The musical journey begins with Roy’s appearance on The Black and White Night TV Special in 1988 and travels on to the heyday of the Traveling Wilburys whose songs include Handle With Care and The End of The Line.

Barry said: “I am backed in this all-live multi-media show, with not only a fabulous band and musicians, but a big screen featuring both live streaming, and images from the life and times of Roy Orbison and the Traveling Wilburys interspersed with factoids and information about the life and times of what is one of the best singers the world has ever known. The songs not only have wonderful melodies and tunes, but the lyrics are also some of the most sublime ever written. Not only does the music take you back in time, but the songs can also make you happy, sad and emotive all at the same time.”

The show will include Orbison songs such as Blue Hotel and Wicked Game, which were hits for Chris Izaak, and symphonic versions of Heartbreak Radio, Blue Bayou, It’s Over and Running Scared which were remastered by The Philharmonic orchestra in 2017.

Barry Steele and Friends also pays tribute to Buddy Holly, who Roy Orbison joined on his Hologram tour in 2018. Listen out for Buddy hits Oh Boy! Heartbeat and of course That’ll Be The Day.

The second show of the evening is a homage to the Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup comprised of Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty. Traveling Wilburys released two albums but never toured during their three-year reign.

Before Barry Steele’s musical career took off, he was a qualified HGV and tanker driver, He was also in the RAF and worked for many years as a driver for a high street store chain.

His entrance into the entertainment world followed a singing competition during a family holiday in Cornwall, which unbeknown to Barry, he had been put forward for by his wife Lynne and daughter Leonie. Barry said: “It was there that a fellow competitor said to me, “You know you sound just like Roy Orbison singing Robbie Williams!” so with the help of family and friends a tribute to The Big ‘O’ was born.”

He added: “I am so proud of our show; it has been a family achievement. We were told by so many promoters it would not work. So, my wife said, we

don’t need them, we will do it ourselves, and everything you see has been achieved by our family. Not a single promoter has had any input at all.”

Tickets cost £28 for Barry Steele and Friends – The Roy Orbison Story. Book online at www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk or call 01246 345222. The show starts at 7.30pm.