Barrie Law & Roy Orbison in the 1970s

Law Sang for Orbison

Barrie Law with Roy Orbison in Batley, West Yorkshire in the 1970s

Roy Orbison and Barrie Law was first introduced to each other by James and Betty Corrigan at Oaks Cottage in Batley, where Roy was staying on his visit to Batley, They both talked about music and singing and exchanging idea's and Roy giving Barrie some advice as he was just starting his singing career, they both have one thing in common with each other voice wise, they both have a three octave range when singing.

Orbison's music was described by critics as operatic, earning him the nickname The Crusoe of Rock a musician known for his impassioned singing style, and dark, emotional ballads.

Law started his singing career in a church choir in the town of Elland at the age of ten, and later he started voice coaching with a teacher from the London College of Music to sing in the opera world. Law was singing on the club circuit in Yorkshire, when he entered a talent competition and sang an opera aria from La Boheme it won him a five year contract with a London Agency and special coaching for opera singing with the renowned London coach Karl Lazenby.

In 1976 Law was made a member of Equity he was signed up with the Bannerman Agency for his singing work, and with the Jack Denman Agency for his TV acting work, and in the eighties he sang his first tenor role for The Royal Opera House. In the mid-eighties Law faced his biggest challenge of all when he was booked for ten days to sing opera in New York, the city that never sleeps.

York Tenor Barrie Law sang the famous aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's Italian opera Pagliacci, "Venti la giubba" This aria is often regarded as one of the most moving in the operatic repertoire, Barrie gave a very dramatic performance of this clown Canio, his singing brought him a standing ovation at the end of act 1

Law's career reached new heights after his mesmerising performance in New York, he was asked to return again in 1988 the following year. The visit that lasted ten days, catapulted Law to new heights of stardom as he made his major breakthrough, these ten days of opera were undoubtedly difficult, but they resulted in Barrie Law's triumph. Over the next twenty years Law worked on tenor roles in various opera's in the UK and USA, in-between his TV acting work. Barrie Law is now retired and living in York.

By John Bannerman Junior

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