Joe Melson
Joe Melson (born May 11, 1935) is an American singer and songwriter best known for his collaborations with Roy Orbison on iconic rock and roll hits including "Only the Lonely," "Crying," and "Blue Bayou."[1][2] Born in Bonham, Texas, to a sharecropping family, Melson grew up picking cotton in the fields and developed an early interest in music, joining his first band at age 14 and later forming the rockabilly group Joe Melson and the Cavaliers in Midland, Texas.[2] He balanced a day job at Standard Oil with nighttime performances at nightclubs and high school dances, while honing his songwriting skills from a young age.[1] Melson's partnership with Orbison began in 1957, leading to a series of chart-topping successes that defined much of Orbison's career in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[2] Together, they co-wrote "Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)," which reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in the UK in 1960 and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999; "Crying," a 1961 hit that also earned Grammy Hall of Fame recognition in 2002; and "Running Scared," among others.[1] Additional collaborations included "Blue Bayou" (1963), which became a signature Orbison song and later a major hit for Linda Ronstadt, as well as "Blue Angel" and "Lana."[2][1] Beyond Orbison, Melson contributed songs to artists such as the Newbeats ("Run Baby Run," 1965) and Glenn Barber, and he wrote material for Grand Ole Opry performers later in his career.[2] His work has garnered multiple BMI awards, recognition for over 15 million US airplays, and inductions into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.[2][1] In 2007, a collection of his Hickory Records recordings was released, highlighting his enduring legacy as a performer and composer. As of 2025, Melson continues to share his experiences, including an appearance on PBS's "The Songwriters" series.[3]Early life
Upbringing in Texas
Joe Melson was born on May 11, 1935, in Bonham, Texas, to a sharecropper family.[1] Growing up in rural Fannin County, he spent his early years working on the family farm, where he picked cotton alongside his parents until the age of 16.[2] This labor-intensive environment shaped his childhood, providing a grounded, hardworking foundation amid the economic challenges of Depression-era Texas agriculture.[2] At age 16, Melson left the farm and attended high school elsewhere, reflecting the migratory patterns common among sharecropping families seeking better opportunities. These moves exposed him to diverse regional cultures and urban influences, contrasting with his rural Texas roots, though he maintained strong ties to the South. The relocations occurred during his teenage years. Melson's initial foray into music began around age 14, when he joined his first band in Texas, marking the start of his lifelong passion for performing.[2] By his late teens, he was actively involved in local scenes, forming and leading rockabilly groups that performed at high school dances and nightclubs across Texas venues.[1] His early exposure to music came through family radio listening, which introduced him to country and rockabilly sounds from regional artists, inspiring him to write and sing his own songs from a young age.[1] This informal immersion in the genres prevalent in mid-20th-century Texas laid the groundwork for his developing style.Education and musical beginnings
After leaving his family's farm in Bonham, Texas, at age sixteen, Joe Melson attended high school elsewhere, experiences that broadened his exposure to diverse musical styles emerging in urban and rural settings during the early 1950s. These relocations, driven by his family's circumstances, introduced him to rhythm and blues influences via radio and records, shaping his early fascination with vocal techniques of popular artists and fostering a versatile appreciation for rockabilly sounds.[2] Melson returned to Texas to enroll at Odessa College, a two-year institution in West Texas, where he continued to develop his musical interests amid the region's burgeoning oil-boom culture.[4] During his college years in the mid-1950s, he balanced studies with active participation in local music scenes, drawing perseverance from his farm upbringing to pursue performance opportunities despite economic challenges.[2] It was at this time that he formed the rockabilly band Joe Melson and the Cavaliers in nearby Midland, Texas, serving as lead vocalist and guitarist while the group performed at high school dances and local nightclubs.[5] Alongside band activities, Melson began experimenting with songwriting in the mid-1950s, crafting original compositions such as "Raindrops" inspired by his growing command of melody and lyrics.[2] The Cavaliers secured a regular slot with a live television show, "Joe Melson and the Cavaliers Show," airing Fridays on KMID-TV, which amplified their regional presence and allowed Melson to hone his skills through consistent local gigs.[2] These early endeavors marked his transition from informal teenage music-making to structured group performances, laying the groundwork for professional aspirations in the evolving rock 'n' roll landscape.[1]Songwriting career
Collaboration with Roy Orbison
Joe Melson first met Roy Orbison in 1957 in West Texas (Odessa), where they were introduced by mutual friend and local promoter Ray Rush, who encouraged Melson to share his songwriting with the struggling Orbison.[6][7] At the time, Orbison was signed to Sun Records and was seeking fresh material after modest success there.[8] The two bonded over their shared Texas roots and musical ambitions, with Melson already developing ideas for emotional ballads; notably, he had drafted most of the lyrics for what would become "Only the Lonely" prior to their meeting.[9] Their partnership flourished as they relocated to Nashville around 1959-1960, where Orbison had signed with Monument and Melson moved his family to pursue songwriting full-time.[10][2] In their collaborative process, Melson typically contributed poignant, heartbreak-themed lyrics drawn from personal experiences, while Orbison crafted soaring melodies and operatic vocal arrangements, pioneering a dramatic rock ballad style that emphasized vulnerability and intensity.[9][6] This synergy produced Orbison's breakthrough hits, starting with "Uptown" in 1960, but their signature works included "Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)" (1960), which peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart; "Running Scared" (1961), reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100; "Crying" (1961), hitting No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100; and "Blue Bayou" (1963), which charted at No. 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[11][11] These songs not only propelled Orbison to stardom but also defined the emotional depth of his oeuvre, with Melson co-writing approximately 90 tracks during their primary collaboration phase through the early 1960s.[9] Though their intensive partnership waned by 1964 amid tensions over credit and solo pursuits, they reunited sporadically in later years, including for Orbison's 1967 album Cry Softly Lonely One on MGM Records.[8] In the late 1980s, as Orbison staged a comeback, the duo explored new ideas, though Orbison's death in December 1988 left several song concepts unrealized, with no completed tracks from their reunion appearing on Mystery Girl (released posthumously in 1989).[8]Contributions to other artists
Beyond his partnership with Roy Orbison, Joe Melson contributed significantly to the catalogs of several prominent artists, particularly in the country genre during the 1960s and early 1970s. One notable example is his co-authorship of "Run Baby Run (Back Into My Arms)" with Don Gant, which The Newbeats recorded and released in 1965, reaching No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and marking a commercial pop success outside his Orbison collaborations.[12][13] Melson's songs also found success through covers by established performers. In 1969, country artist Sonny James recorded a version of "Only the Lonely," co-written by Melson and Orbison, which topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for three weeks, showcasing Melson's ability to craft enduring ballads adaptable to country audiences.[14] Similarly, Don McLean's 1980 cover of "Crying," another Melson-Orbison composition, ascended to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in 1980 and later peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1981, demonstrating the timeless appeal of Melson's melodic structures.[15][16] Linda Ronstadt's rendition of "Blue Bayou" in 1977 propelled the song to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning platinum certification and highlighting Melson's skill in blending evocative imagery with accessible hooks.[17] During the 1960s, Melson wrote material for several Grand Ole Opry-affiliated country artists, expanding his influence in Nashville. He penned tracks such as "Ever Changing Mind" (with Susie Melson) for Don Gibson, which charted at No. 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles in 1968; "Where Do You Go (When You Don't Go With Me)" for Ernie Ashworth, reaching No. 69 country in 1969; songs like "Why (Don't Ask Me Why)" and "I'd Like to Put You in a Song" (with Doodle Owens) for Billy Walker in the late 1960s and 1970s; and compositions including "Are You Sincere" for Glen Barber, which hit No. 28 country in 1972.[18][19][20][1] In recent years, Melson has continued songwriting, including a 2025 EP with artist Damien Leith.[21] The enduring impact of Melson's songwriting is evident in performance metrics, with his key compositions collectively surpassing 15 million confirmed airplays in the United States.[21] Furthermore, "Crying" ranked No. 74 and "Blue Bayou" No. 85 on BMI's Top 100 Songs of the Century list in 1999, recognizing their widespread radio and cultural resonance based on airplay data.[22]Performing career
Solo recordings
Joe Melson began his solo recording career in the early 1960s with a series of singles released on Hickory Records, a Nashville-based label known for country and pop material. These recordings, produced during the same period as his prominent songwriting collaborations, showcased Melson's vocal style in rockabilly and pop genres, often featuring self-penned songs with heartfelt, romantic themes. None of the singles achieved significant commercial success or charted on major Billboard lists, reflecting the competitive landscape of the era's music market.[23] The Hickory singles spanned from 1960 to 1963 and included tracks that highlighted Melson's influences from rock and roll and emerging country sounds. Key releases featured upbeat numbers like "Oh Yeah" and more ballad-oriented pieces such as "Raining in My Heart." Many of these were backed by notable Nashville session musicians, emphasizing Melson's transition from songwriter to performer. The following table summarizes his Hickory discography:| Release Date | Catalog Number | A-Side / B-Side |
|---|---|---|
| May 1960 | 45-1121 | Oh Yeah / What's the Use (I Still Love You) |
| September 1960 | 45-1128 | Shook Up / Barbara |
| March 1961 | 45-1143 | No One Really Cares / Hey Mister Cupid |
| October 1961 | 45-1155 | Wake Up, Little Susie / Take It Like a Man |
| June 1962 | 45-1175 | Dance / Love Is a Dangerous Thing |
| February 1963 | 45-1200 | Any Little Thing (Can Start the Flame of Love) / Raining in My Heart |
| October 1963 | 45-1229 | His Girl / Stay Away from Her |