Roy Orbison Jr. — His Life, Marriage and the Legacy of His Father

Roy Orbison Jr. followed in his father's footsteps and became a musician. He is also a proud husband and father of three with an exciting love story. Here's a look at the singer's life behind the scenes.

Roy Orbison Jr. is famously known as the son of American singer-songwriter Roy Orbison. Roy Jr. followed in his father's footsteps in the music industry and worked hard to keep the older Orbison's memory alive.

Roy Jr. is a loving husband and doting father of three when not on stage. Although they live a relatively private life, his family once participated in a reality show.

ROY ORBISON JR. IS MORE THAN ROY ORBISON'S SON

On October 18, 1970, Roy Jr. was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but was raised in England until age five. His home later became a tour bus until his family settled in Los Angeles, where he attended school at Crossroads in Santa Monica.

In 1975, Roy Jr.'s father gave him a guitar on stage for his birthday. It didn't take long for him to learn the song "You Are My Sunshine," which his grandfather taught his father as a child. Roy Jr.'s passion for music grew naturally until he pursued a career like his father and godparents, Johnny and June Carter-Cash.

Like his mother, Roy Jr. also became a businessman as he runs the music publishing company and is President of Still Working Music Group. Aside from his jobs, Roy Jr. is also a podcast host of "Roy Orbison, Jr.'s Rock & Roll Circus" and co-author of "The Authorized Roy Orbison."

Roy Jr. is also a television star, having been a guest on the reality show "Below Deck Mediterranean" Season 5, where he flew to Spain with his family for a vacation on The Wellington.

He was already a big fan of the show before joining and was pretty excited, along with his family, to meet the crew, including Captain Sandy. Roy Jr. said:

"I was almost embarrassed that we were kind of [fans]. I was nervous in general because it's a big show, but I really trusted her. I trusted my babies to this staff and this crew, so they didn't make me feel nervous, and we had a lot of fun."

ROY ORBISON JR. PROPOSED FIVE TIMES TO HIS WIFE

Roy Jr. is happily married to Asa Hallgren, whom he met on June 11, 2013, by chance. Asa happened to sit beside him in central Stockholm and sparked a conversation. "We started talking and didn't stop all night," she recalled. "We turned into kids, laughing and chasing one another around the park."

Due to a tradition they began, Roy Jr. asked Asa to marry him five times. The first was in Stockholm without a ring; the second was in Cannes during a fireworks show; the third was in the place they met during snowfall, and the fourth was moments after Asa gave birth to their first child in the hospital.

His fifth and final one was at their Nashville home, where he presented a yellow diamond ring. On June 11, 2017, the pair had a surprise wedding at Cash Cabin Studio with eleven attendees.

The couple share three children, Roy Orbison III, Bo, and their youngest son, Love Achilles, born on March 22, 2022.

ROY ORBISON JR. ON HIS FATHER'S TRAGEDIES

Roy Jr.'s father also had three children with his first wife, Claudette Frady, whom he divorced in 1964. Roy and Claudette mended their relationship and got back together, only for her to die "in his arms." Claudette passed away when her motorcycle hit a pickup truck.

Tragedy struck Roy Orbison 18 months later when his two sons, Ron Dewayne and Anthony, died in a fire. The singer was on tour when the fire burned down their home. Fortunately, his youngest son, Wesley, was with his grandparents then.

Fortunately, Barbara Jakobs was already in his life at that time. He helped him cope with the pain as they tied the knot and had a family of their own with two sons, Roy Jr. and Alexander.

In 1988, Roy followed his first wife to meet his creator due to a heart attack. Despite his passing, his songs continue to keep his memory alive. "He was a lot of fun and lived a great life," Roy Jr. said of his dad. "We're doing the Orbison Museum [to keep his legacy alive]."